Somerset

Somerset, county, southwestern England; Taunton is the administrative center. Somerset borders the Bristol Channel on the north and contains a central lowland area surrounded by ranges of hills. To the west is the scenic upland area of Exmoor. Somerset is known for its cider making and dairying, the town of Cheddar here having given its name to the famous cheese. The hilly districts are rich in minerals, especially dolomite and barytes. Somerset has evidence of prehistoric habitation, including a lake dwelling near Glastonbury. The area was absorbed by the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex in the 7th century. In the early 10th century an episcopal see was established at Wells, which has a notable cathedral.