Packed with precious metal, Haynes International Motor Museum is the UK’s largest exhibition of the greatest cars from around the world. More than 400 amazing cars and bikes from the earliest motoring pioneers to nostalgic classics of the 50s and 60s and glorious Bentleys and Rolls Royces to exciting super cars like the Jaguar XJ220.
Five miles from Yeovil is the village of Yeovilton which is home to RNAS Yeovilton, (also known as HMS Heron), this is one of the Navy’s two principal air bases and one of the busiest military airfields in the UK.
It is also home to Europe’s largest naval aviation collection, which is housed in the FLEET AIR ARM MUSEUM. A visit to the museum can last a day but its memory can last a lifetime; for aeronautical enthusiasts and their families this is arguably the best DAY OUT in south Somerset. There is a vast array of things to do for the kids. The Museum Shop stocks a wide variety of unusual aviation related gifts, clothing, confectionery, books, artwork, DVDs and more. The annual RNAS YEOVILTON AIR DAY is a spectacle not to be missed.
Yeovil is the major town of South Somerset and boasts a fascinating history, and enough attractions to fill several days of a holiday. Its modern pedestrian shopping precinct houses the Quedam experience, plus all of the usual High Street names. There are outdoor markets on Tuesdays and Fridays. The thriving livestock market is a constant reminder that, despite its business parks and modern industries, Yeovil is a country town at heart with beautiful accessible countryside stretching all along its southern rim and beyond, with footpaths to walk and sights to see. The Middle Street area is fully pedestrianised with a bandstand.
Near Yeovil, there are umpteen villages & towns to visit all of which will stretch your imagination of yesteryear, and make you want to visit again. Barrington is home to the 16C Barrington Court House and Gardens. The parish church dates from 13C and during the summer, there is a maze of maize at nearby Shepton Beauchamp.
Barwick and Stoford has Barwick House with strange follies, plus Jack the Treacle Eater and the Fish Tower, arranged at the four points of the compass. Buckland St Mary set high in the beautiful Blackdown Hills; the parish includes Neroche Forest, formerly medieval woodland, and site of an ancient hillfort. Neighbouring villages in this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty include Wambrook, Whitestaunton, and Combe St Nicholas.
Chiselborough and the Chinnocks are picturesque Ham Stone villages. East Chinnock church is famous for its windows made by German prisoners. Bridge Farm Cider is nearby, and West Coker Fen, a Somerset Wildlife Trust nature reserve, is on the outskirts of the village.
Crewkerne has so much to offer but as with many country towns, you have to search out what is in and around to see & visit. This was an important town in the days of the Norman Conquest with many fine old buildings and a magnificent 15C church. Discover its history in the Heritage Centre or explore its art, antiques, and bookshops. Swim at the Crewkerne Aqua Centre or visit the Bincombe Beeches nature trail. You will be sure to find something of interest.
Cricket St Thomas is home to a Wildlife Park, and nearby is the Windwhistle Country Club with its 18-hole golf course. Nearby is the Oathill Farm Holiday and Touring Park, to see the details please see West Bay in the Dorset section of this magazine.
Dowlish Wake is the home of Perry’s Cider Mills and Rural Museum. The church contains the tomb of John Hanning Speke who discovered the source of the River Nile. There is also a pottery and craft shop. East Coker has picturesque 16C and 17C houses that cluster below the manor and this is birthplace of explorer and buccaneer William Dampier, the first Englishman to set foot in Australia. Within walking distance is the Sutton Bingham reservoir and beyond this is the Pen Wood nature trail. Hinton St George is a beautiful Ham Stone village with cottages dating from 14C. In October children parade candlelit Mangel-Wurzels through the village to celebrate ‘Punkie Night’, recalling when village wives tried to frighten their drunken husbands. It is also, where Henry Fowler lived while compiling the Oxford English Dictionary.
Martock is home to the Martock Gallery. The 13C church has one of the finest carved tie beam roofs in Somerset. North of the village
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is Town Tree Nature Gardens. The Lopen Roman Mosaic, the tenth largest in Britain dating from three sixty AD was discovered at the nearby village of the same name. A replica panel of part of the mosaic is on view at the parish church along with information about the find.
Montacute is home to Montacute House and Gardens, which featured in “Sense and, Sensibility”, and “The Libertine” and has the longest long gallery in Britain. South Petherton has a church with an octagonal central tower with twelve bells, and the David Hall Arts Centre which is South Somerset’s premier rural performing arts venue, renowned for its music, theatre and film programme.
The Hamdons villages contain the Hamdon Priory and Ham Hill which is part of a four acre country park open to the public. This is also the starting point of The Liberty Trail. Tintinhull has a National Trust Manor House and garden designed by Phyllis Reiss. Winsham is close to Forde Abbey, a Cistercian monastery with extensive gardens, a beautiful little church and a fruit farm.
Where your journey is part of the experience
www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk 0845 710 5555 Sail from
Fly from Penzance Land’s End Fly from Newquay Fly from Exeter
See the Aircraft Carrier Experience and Concorde The thrill is being there
RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset, BA22 8HT
01935 840565
fleetairarm.com
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