SOMERSETSHIRE, a maritime county of Eng land, is bounded on the north by Gloucestershire and the Bristol Channel, on the east by Wiltshire, on the south-west by Devonshire, and on the south east by Dorsetshire. It is one of the largest counties in England, its greatest length from east to west be ing about 68 miles, and its breadth from north to south 47 miles; it is 240 miles in circumference, and it is computed to contain 1,050,880 English acres.
This county is divided into two civil divisions, the eastern and the western; in the first there are 20 hun dreds and seven liberties, in the second 22 hundreds. Somersetshire possesses two cities, Bath and Wells, and a part of Bristol, seven boroughs, and 29 market towns. The ecclesiastical divisions are one bishopric, three arch-deaconries, 13 deaneries, and 482 parishes. The county is in the province of Canterbury, and the diocese of Bath and Wells. Bath contains two dean eries, Wells seven, and Taunton four.
Few counties present a more diversified aspect or a greater variety of soil, changing from the highly cul tivated valley to the barren and stony heath, and to the bleak and lofty hills so seldom to be met with in other parts of England. In the north-east corner are the lofty Mendip Hills, which are chiefly remarkable for the quantity of coals and lead they produce. The other hills of note are Quantock, on the western side of the county, Brendon, near Quantock; Poulden, near Bridgewater, Broadfield-Down, between Bristol and \Vrington; Leigh-Down, in the hundred of Por therry; Dundry, near Bristol; Lansdown, near Bath; White-Down, near Chard; and Black-Down, on the confines of Devonshire. Near the Quantock hills is a dreary heath called Exmoor Forest, a part of which, called Dunkeny, is 1668 feet above the level of the sea, and from which there is a fine view of the adja cent country, extending as far as the Bristol channel on one side, and the English channel on the other. The bleakness and sterility of these hills, however, is amply compensated by the luxuriance of the meadows and the fertility of the arable lands, which produce such abundant crops as are sufficient not only for the consumption of the inhabitants, but even for supply ing other markets. The general appearance of the country is rich, rather than picturesque, owing, in a great degree, to the scarcity of woods and the slug gishness of the streams, which in summer become nearly stagnant, and thereby greatly diminish the beauty of the landscape.
The chief rivers are the lower Avon, the Ax, the Brue or Brent, the Parret, the Vow, the Cale, Chew, Tone, Frome, Ivel, Ex, and Barl. The lower Avon is a navigable river, and rising in the north of Wilt shire, near Wootton Basset, becomes navigable at Bath, and running on with a circuitous course, it pass es Bristol, and empties itself into the Severn, Form ing the Bristol channel at Kingsroad by its conjunc tion with that river. The Ax rises in the Mendip
hills, and has its chief source in a natural excavation called Woolley Hole, which bears some resemblance to the caves of Derbyshire. This river is not navi gable. The Brue or Brent has its origin in Wiltshire, and enters the Bristol channel at Bridgewater Bay; it is navigable for about two miles front its mouth. The Parret rises near the village of south Parret in Dorsetshire, and after its junction with the Tone, runs into Bridgewater Bay through the marsh of Sedgemore. It is navigable from Stert point to Lang port, a distance of about 20 miles. These rivers all abound with trout, salmon, perch, pike, carp, tench, and other smaller fish. The only canal that Somer setshire can boast of is the Kennet and Avon, which joins the Thames with the Severn.
As this county has long been famous for the rich ness of its meadow lands. and the abundance of its grass, the fattening of cattle and the management of the dairy has, of necessity, become the most import ant branch of its rural economy. The oxen bred in the less favoured pasturages of Devonshire afford ex cellent beef when fattened in this district; and supply not only the neighbouring markets, but even those of London. The sheep natural to the county are of the Mendip breed, but of late years almost every improv ed variety has been introduced. The dairies are not less remarkable for the superior excellence of their butter and cheese, the cheese of Cheddar having long enjoyed the reputation of being equal to any in England, and is often sold at Gloucester; the butter made in the vicinity of Crewkerne is sent to the Lon don dealers, who sell it under the name of Dorset shire butter. Among the agricultural products, the cider, which is reckoned superior in strength and pu rity to that either of Herefordshire or Devonshire, is not the least important, as it is the principal drink of the lower orders throughout the whole county. The natural grass is so plentiful, that it has almost entirely superseded the use of clover or other artifi cial grasses. Barley is not much grown, but wheat, oats, and bear, together with flax, teazels, and woad, are cultivated very extensively in most parts of the county. The hundred of Taunton Dean is reckoned to produce the best crops of wheat. Elm trees thrive best in the rich loamy soils, which are also particularly well adapted to the growth of flax, most of which is used in the manufactures of the county. Geese feathers formerly yielded a considerable profit, but as many of the marshes were drained and inclosed a few years ago, and as many are now undergoing the same process, the supply of feathers is not nearly so great as it was when the county abounded with marshes, which are necessary for the subsistence of the geese, and which, in their present state, afford much more profit to their owners than before.