SHEPTON, MALLET, a market town of England in Somersetshire. It is situated about five miles east of Wells, in a low recluse valley, well watered by several branches of the river Bruc. It contains above twenty streets and lanes, the most important of which are spacious and tolerably built, and meet in the form of a cross on the roads from Bristol and Bath to Ilches ter, and from Frome to Wells. The smaller streets are narrow and dirty. The church, which stands on the east side of the market place, is a large and hand some edifice, in the pointed style of architecture, hav ing a tower at the west end surmounted by a spire. The pulpit and font are each cut out of one solid stone, and seem to be of great antiquity from the rudeness of the workmanship. The monuments in the church are numerous but not remarkable. The market place contains a curious stone cross erected in 1500. It is
composed of five arches, sustained by five-sided pil lars, with a six-sided column in the centre. From the roof, which is perfectly flat, there arises a lofty pyramidal spire ornamented with Gothic arches, and terminating with an oblong entablature, containing a figure of our Saviour on the cross, &c. There are here also places of worship for the Methodists, Pres byterians, and Quakers. This place has been long celebrated for its manufacture of broad cloth and knit stockings, carried on both in the town and its vicinity. Nearly 200,000 yards of broad cloth were manufac tured annually, and employed nearly 5000 hands. The county bridewell is within the town; and besides a well endowed free school, it has an alms-house for eight poor people. Population 5104. See the Beau ties of England and