Watchet is an ancient harbour town on the Bristol Channel with a proud maritime history stretching back 1000 years.
Watchet has quite a history, as one might expect from an old harbour town.
A stroll along the West Pier, the modern version of many that went before, enables good views of the coast east and west, and south to the town itself.
The harbour was in commercial use until just
a few years ago, with quite large ships coming in on the high tide to tie up at the East Wharf. Pleasure steamers still visit the harbour from time to time. The Market House
Museum, near the harbour, is a friendly little museum full of things to see including collections of fossils, maritime and railway items.
The Watchet Boat Museum is also worth a
look. It is within the old goods shed next to the station.
Watchet has many shops to browse in and pubs and cafes for refreshments.
The port once boasted a Royal Saxon mint which was raided by the Vikings and some of the coins taken as 'denegeld' can be seen in Scandanavian museums today.
Watchet has famous literary connections too, for it was here that Samuel Taylor Coleridge found inspiration for his classic poem 'The Ancient Mariner' when he visited in 1797.
Watchet Marina
Photo supplied by Dave Sorrell
In 2005 a brand new £5 million marina was opened, where visitors will find yachts and fishing boats bobbing in the water alongside the spacious Esplanade with its regular entertainments.
Wander through the town's narrow streets and discover a good selection of friendly shops and choice of places to eat and drink. Local facilities include a bank, library and medical services.
The Market House by the edge of the harbour is home to Watchet Museum, where the town's long history is well told through photographs, videos and numerous exhibits.
The Watchet Anchor
Photo supplied by Dave Sorrell
Watchet Harbour
Photo supplied by Dave Sorrell
Watchet Museum
Photo supplied by Dave Sorrell
Watchet - Mineral Line Railway Bridge
Photo supplied by Dave Sorrell
Watchet Stream
Photo supplied by Dave Sorrell
One of the busiest periods in the past was when the mineral line was in full swing, bringing tons of iron ore down from the Brendon Hills to be taken across to Wales by ship from the harbour.
Steam trains still feature as one of Watchet's attractions as the West Somerset Railway has a station in the town. Beautifully restored locos can be seen passing through on their way to Bishops Lydeard or Minehead.
On several occasions during the year, the cruise ship Balmoral steams into port and offers trips along the picturesque West Somerset coast.
And in July you can enjoy one of the town's highlights - it's annual carnival weekend.
Watchet got its name
from the blue wacet dye
made from lias rocks in
the cliffs.
Apparently Charles I
wore a coat of Watchet
Blue when he was
beheaded.
Watchet is twinned with the
French Town of
St Renan in Brittany. Watchet has a population of 3200.
Watchet
Watchet is an ancient harbour town on the Bristol Channel coast.
Watchet harbour has for centuries been the centre of trade. In the 1860s it was
enlarged to handle increased trade. In December 1900 a fierce gale destroyed part of the harbour and wrecked many ships. The harbour was rebuilt and trade resumed. In July 2001 Sir Robin Knox-Johnston opened the new marina.
The narrow streets of the oldest part of the town cluster around the harbour. In the Middle Ages this area was the hub of cloth manufacturing, milling of grain, sale offish and a market place. By the 19th century there were foundries, sawmills, shipbuilding yard, a paper mill and a host of other trades and shops.
The poet Coleridge visited Watchet in 1797 and
t it is generally thought that the harbour is the port from
which "The Ancient Mariner" set sail on his fateful voyage.
The town's most famous sailor was John Short, nicknamed Yankee Jack. He sailed the world and with his powerful voice led the sailors in the singing of sea shanties as they worked. In his retirement he became Town Crier. In 1914 he was interviewed by Cecil Sharp, a collector of folk songs, who recorded the words and tunes of many of the shanties. John died in 1933 aged 94 at his cottage in Market Street.
The lighthouse on the west pier was erected in 1862 at the time when the harbour was enlarged. The cast iron tower was supplied by Hennet Spink & Else of Bridgwater and cost £75. The light was first illuminated by an oil lamp, then by gas and later by electricity.
The town's library once housed the lifeboat. It was built in 1875 for the first boat, the Joseph Soames. The last lifeboat, until 1944, was a rowing and sailing boat named the Sarah Pilkington.
When Daniel Defoe (author of Robinson Crusoe) walked along the beach at Watchet he was amazed at the curious shapes of fossils he found. Look carefully and you too may discover some interesting fossils.
Watchet
With a proud maritime history stretching back 1000 years.
The port once boasted a Royal Saxon mint which was raided by the Vikings and some of the coins taken as 'denegeld' can be seen in Scandanavian museums today.
Watchet has famous literary connections too, for it was here that Samuel Taylor Coleridge found inspiration for his classic poem 'The Ancient Mariner' when he visited in 1797.
In 2004 a brand new £5 million marina was opened, where visitors will find yachts and fishing boats bobbing in the water alongside the spacious Esplanade with its regular entertainments.
The Market House by the edge of the harbour is home to Watchet Museum, where the town's long history is well told through photographs, videos and numerous exhibits.
One of the busiest periods in the past was when the Mineral Line was in full swing, bringing tons of iron ore down from the Brendon Hills to be taken across to Wales by ship from the harbour.
Steam trains still feature as one of Watchet's attractions as the West Somerset Railway has a station in the town. Beautifully restored locos can be seen passing through on their way to Bishops Lydeard or Minehead.
On several occasions during the year, the cruise ship Balmoral steams into port and offers trips along the picturesque West Somerset coast.
In July you can enjoy one of the town's highlights - it's annual carnival.
Watchet Mariner
Watchet Mariner
The harbour town's history goes back over
1000 years and last year was the 1000th anniversary of the last raid
by the Vikings. Watchet has much to interest visitors including a delightful museum in
the Old Market House. There are narrow streets with shops and inns. Nearby
there are cliffs and beaches to explore. The harbour was an important
trading port but is quieter now with fishing trips and sailing yachts.
The M.V. Balmoral calls in occasionally offering coastal cruises in the
Bristol Channel. Steam trains stop at the centrally located station and
nearby Tropiquaria is
a popular attraction.
Watchet Harbour before the Maniner was built
Watchet court leet
For hundreds of years prior to the
early 1800's Watchet Court Leet was
responsible for all administration,
including law and order, in the town
and borough of Watchet. Prominent local men were summoned
to take up various duties
and to mete out justice at regular
court leet sessions.
These were held at the Bell Inn.
Anyone causing a public nuisance or
considered likely to abscond while
awaiting trial was heldtemporarily,
in thist iny lock-up jail
Watchet Lockup Jail
Nowadays yachts and other pleasure craft are moored at Watchet., but there was a time when commercial industry thrived - woollen cloth was exported, and South Wales coal was imported from across the Bristol Channel.
Near to the harbour wall in Watchet is a bronze statue of the Ancient Mariner who in the poem of the same name by Samuel Taylor Coleridge foolishly shot an albatross, bringing disaster upon himself and his shipmates. Samuel Taylor Coleridge lived for some years at nearby Nether Stowey and visited the town in 1797 whilst on a walking tour. It is said that the view of the harbour inspired him to write his poem.
Watchet Carnival Club
Watchet's premier entertainments
organisation. Organises the annual carnival
complete with parade, free musical headline
events, and fetes. Also involved in activities
throughout the year.
www.watchetcarnival.org.uk
The first recorded evidence of settlement on the site that is now known as Watchet emerges in the Dark Ages with the arrival of one of those Celtic holy men who acted as pastor, arbitrator and physician to remote communities. His name
I was St Decuman and legend has it that he arrived from what is now South Wales, on a raft with a cow as companion. Take time to see the pebble stone mosaic besides the library on the Esplanade, which depicts lis journey.
St Decuman is still remembered today through
the dedication of the local church in his name and to the continued existence of the Holy Well where some of his healing took place.
The Decuman Celtic Centre in Market Street records this early history.
Watchet's importance as a strategic site grew as evidenced by the remains of an iron age fort at Daw's Castle to the west of the Town and to the east of the town at Doniford, traces of Roman settlement have been unearthed. Watchet's natural harbour made it an early trading centre and in the 10th century coins were minted for Ethelred II and thereon for five more Saxon Kings and three Norman Kings, ending with Stephen.
Some of the earlier minted coins are on display in Stockholm museum, representing the haul from Viking raids along the coast, the most notable being in 998.
With the Norman invasion of 1066 and the death of King Harold, his mother Eleanor fled to Watchet where she then took a boat to Flatholm Island. The Norman successors were given parcels of land throughout the country and in this area the manor of Dunster was created and a castle built to ensure the dominance and military might of the
invader.
Watchet is unique in that to this day it still maintains the Court Leet system of medieval local administration, today albeit symbolic, where post holders are still appointed to the various tasks such as Ale Taster and Portreeve.
The Civil War and the Monmouth Rebellion came and went as reigns changed and the centuries marched on. In the First and the Second World Wars Watchet sent its men to fight for their country and their sacrifice is still fittingly remembered on the open space of the Memorial Ground on which a lot of the sporting, cultural and recreational activities and events of today take place.
Watchet August 1938 - photo presented with the kind permisssion of www.grumpystumpy.com
Watchet August 1938 - photo presented with the kind permisssion of www.grumpystumpy.com
Watchet Harbour Esplanade August 1938 - photo presented with the kind permisssion of www.grumpystumpy.com
Watchet Harbour August 1938 - photo presented with the kind permisssion of www.grumpystumpy.com
Watchet August 1938 - photo presented with the kind permisssion of www.grumpystumpy.com
The harbour area has always been the hub of the town and it is from here that a lot of Watchet's early prosperity was based. Small locally owned vessels traded coastally and to Ireland with a host of commodities that can be seen in the cargo manifests still held in the Market House Museum, in tne 19th centuary iron ore was exported from the mines in the Brendon Hills to the smelters at Ebbw Vale in South Wales. Latterly wood pulp was imported from Scandinavia and Portugal for the local paper mill and general cargo passing
through the harbour included sand, cement, fertilizer, lead ingots, tractors, potatoes and coal. A cyclical decline in coastal traffic led to a call for the harbour to be closed in favour of creating a Marina. After a Public Enquiry the inspector approved a bill for the decommissioning of the Harbour after a millennium of activity and new
challenges face us all for the future.
Today Watchet is a bustling town with lots to see and do. The towns main commercial artery, Swain Street, has many shops to attract and cater for the visitor and resident alike — from clothes, shoes, hairdressers, DIY and antiques to curios, gifts and fishing tackle: from financial services to food and bakery: from ice creams to fine art!
Looking over Watchet to the sea
Photo supplied by Dave Sorrell
The Jubilee Geological Wall -
Watchet Station.
Built by volunteers from a centre for adults with learning disabilities, the wall includes samples of locally collected stone and fossils. Whether you are a geologist or just an interested visitor, the wall provides a fascinating exploration of local minerals, some of which can also be seen incorporated into local buildings. The wall also includes fossils from the Jurassic era, collected from the rock ledges between Watchet and Kilve.
For further information ring 01984 639390
Watchet Heritage Trail
For more than 1000 years Watchet has been a busy seaport, once thronging with all the activities of the sea. The Heritage Trail takes a trip back in history and gives you a chance to explore Watchet's fascinating past as you take a walk through the town. You will discover the harbour, for centuries the centre of trade, and now a new marina opened in 2001 by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston. The oldest part of the town, with narrow streets, is around the harbour. In the Middle Ages this was a centre of cloth manufacturing as well as other trades, and a marketplace was situated behind the Esplanade near its junction with Swain Street. In more recent times the town has had foundries, sawmills and a paper mill, as well as the usual shops and small tradesmen.
Of course Watchet has an association with trains and in 1862 a broad gauge railway was built from Taunton and was later to extended to Minehead. During its lifetime thousands of people travelled on the railway before it was finally closed in 1970 only to reopen a few years later to be run by volunteers and steam enthusiasts as the West Somerset Railway. Watchet also once had another railway, The Mineral Line.
The Old Mineral Line runs between Watchet and Washford and once extended into the Brendon Hills. In times past it was used for bringing iron ore, mined in the hills, into Watchet so that it could be shipped to Wales. Although the track has long gone, the path of the railway can be followed on foot. Starting on the Esplanade a walk along the Old Mineral Line Trail will take you past the Paper Mill.The Path continues through countryside past farms until you approach Washford passing the village school, winding its way through the village until it reaches Washford Station which houses the Somerset and Dorset Railway Museum.
The Coleridge Trail passes through Watchet
Fishing Trips
Chartered fishing trips can be booked on DTI registered, fully facilitated boats which operate oift of Watchet. At the moment the vessels are Seafire arid Scooby Doo Too.
Bookings can be made for short or long trips, and equipment and bait is provided. A variety of fish species can be caught depending on the season. Fish caught regularly include cod, ling, pouting, bass, skate and whiting.
To book Seafire ring 01984 634507 or 0771121
Sea Fishing at Watchet
Photo supplied by Dave Sorrell
5695 634540 or 07778 750939 (www.scoobydootoo.com)
Fishermen can also use the West Pier with rod and line or the inner harbour with a crab line or a drop net for shrimps.
Boat Trips
Seafire and Scooby Doo Too are also available on request for trips around the bay for views of the coastal scenery.
Beachcombing -
The tidal range of the Bristol Channel is the second largest in the world: only the Bay of Fundy, in Nova Scotia, has a greater high water/ low . water difference. As a consequence the beach scenery is always changing, with flotsam and "jetsam making beachcombing an interesting pastime with new finds occurring regularly.
Rock pools containing sea anemones, limpets and crabs are a constant source of delight and exploration, as are seaweeds and rock formations on the foreshore.
View over Watchet to the sea
Photo supplied by Dave Sorrel
Men who served their National Service in the 1950s at RAF Watchet, Doniford Camp include:
Brian Clough — Footballer and Football Manager
Peter Alliss —Golfer
Gordon Pirie — Olympic Athlete
In 2007 t he 9th Watchet Carnival Weekend - live music, procession, party atmosphere. The biggest free event in Somerset, including three evenings of great on-stage entertainment and mega firework displays. www.watchetcarnival.org.uk
A broad gauge railway from Taunton reached Watchet in 1862 and this was the branch terminus for twelve years until it was extended to Minehead. Although built to handle the increased harbour trade, thousands of visitors arrived by train for a cruise along the coast or across to South Wales. Dr Beeching's axe fell on the line in 1970 but a few years later it reopened. With the enthusiasm of many volunteers the West Somerset Railway railway offers an exciting journey on a steam railway.
West Somerset Steam Railway
Photo supplied by Dave Sorrell
Watchet Somerset Marina
image supplied by kind permission of Somerset Tourism, Somerset County Council
Watchet Somerset Marina
image supplied by kind permission of Somerset Tourism, Somerset County Council
Watchet Somerset Marina
image supplied by kind permission of Somerset Tourism, Somerset County Council
Watchet Somerset Marina
image supplied by kind permission of Somerset Tourism, Somerset County Council
WATCHET is a seaside town nestling close under the shadow of Exmoor, where visitors can listen to the steam train's whistle as they watch its smoke wind around the cliffs.
It became of national importance when The Royal Mint was built in 809. The Vikings raided the mint three times in the next two centuries.
The Knights who murdered Thomas A' Becket . endowed a chapel in Watchet. Kings and Queens bought Watchet cloth and corn. Later, Coleridge visited often and may have dreamed up the first verse of the Rime of the Ancient Mariner while sitting on the quay. Nowadays there are more fishermen than poets on the quayside. You may see the town's Sea Scouts who are among the few in the country who have achieved Royal Naval recognition, or
maybe youngsters catching prawns off Lighthouse Steps.
Watchet has quaint streets with quirky shops behind 18th Century facades where you can purchase anything from toothpaste to a ball gown.
Once, Watchet was a working port shifting Somerset ore to Wales and returning with coal. Until commercial shipping ceased in 1993, Massey Ferguson tractors, British Leyland cars and steel coils all left from Watchet and in came various cargoes. Now, there is a swish marina.
Slip back in time aboard Josephine, a 70 year old ketch chartering from the quay, and you will experience cruising before engines, power winches and self furling sails made life easy.
West Somerset Railway at Watchet
West Somerset Railway at Watchet
The Boat Museum, at the other end of Harbour Road houses traditional double ended Watchet fishing boats called Flatners and the records of the town's maritime history. There are pictures of 'Yankee Jack Short' who is credited with recording the great sea shanties sung aboard Tall Ships.
The Town Museum at the top of the Slipway illustrates the history of Watchet. It has a large photographic collection dating from the 18th Century which includes pictures of several horrific storms, which reduced the harbour walls to matchsticks.
If after that you want a great day sea angling, charter a boat like the powerful Scooby Doo Too. Skipper, Steve Yeandle supplies rods and bait. He'll give you a fantastic day and teach you to catch fish.
West Somerset Railway, the longest preserved steam line in Britain brings in thousands of visitors to Watchet. The historic Mineral Line which brought ore down from the Brendon Hills attracts walkers and enthusiasts alike.
The real edge of Watchet is the way the community gets together to play. Watchet's Annual Carnival is wild. At it's heart is a traditional procession and fete. Around that is a unique combination of rock concerts, fancy dress competitions, Children's Entertainments, fantastic Fireworks and would you believe it- Classical Proms.
Caturn's Night is a Market Fayre with dancing and street entertainment which keeps alive a 17th Century tradition when Catherine of Braganza gave the townspeople hot cakes and cider.
Watchet Lookout Post
Christmas is celebrated with thousands of lights and carol singers as Santa winds through the town on his sleigh giving sweets to every child. On Late Night opening he arrives by boat. The shopkeepers give mince pies and mulled wine to their customers.
Watchet even has its own fortune teller, two brass bands, jazz and soul groups and of course a resident Punch and Judy man.
Watchet Station was the original terminus of the West Somerset Railway, at the end of the 14-mile line from Norton Fitzwarren opened in 1862.
This explains the rather odd position of the main station building set at right angles to the line. Before the line was extended to Minehead in 1874, by an "end-on" junction, the station forecourt stretched right across to the goods shed with railings where there is now railway track.
The footbridge (the only one on the line) was added later to maintain the public right of way.
The harbour was connected to the "main line" by a steep incline up to the goods shed, and the whole area was once a hive of activity.
The signal box was built into the bank behind the platform and was quite lofty so as to give a good view of the harbour fines.
To the east of the platform is Govier's Crossing, once protected by a gong sounded at the approach of a train, but now this job is done by mini red and green lights to warn pedestrians.
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