DISCOVER
Historic Dunster
Step back in time and explore one of England’s best-preserved medieval villages, the jewel in the crown of Exmoor National Park
ORIGINS
A Village Shaped by Centuries
The village of Dunster was first settled on the present site around 700 AD and was first referenced in the Domesday Book. At this time, the village was called Torre. The centuries have carved out a unique little village which is considered the jewel in the crown of Exmoor National Park.
01 — WOOL TRADE
The Yarn Market Heritage
The Yarn Market in the High Street shows the village’s wool trading heritage that held sway over the town’s economy for hundreds of years. This octagonal market house, built around 1609, served as a covered area where merchants could display and sell their yarn and cloth.
Naturally, the story and history of Dunster is integrally linked with the history of the castle itself, which is now owned and maintained by the National Trust.
02 — RELIGIOUS HISTORY
The Priory Church of St George
Dunster has a long history and given the activities of various Celtic missionaries in the area, there must have been a church here in Saxon times. However, following the Norman Conquest, Dunster was confiscated from its Saxon overlord and given to the De Mohun family, which endowed the foundation of a Benedictine Priory, a daughter cell of Bath Abbey.
In 1097, the monks began the construction of a priory church, which eventually became the Parish and Priory Church of St George.
MEDIEVAL HERITAGE
The Ancient High Street
The High Street is almost unchanged from images taken close to two centuries ago. From the ancient High Street to the old Butter Cross, the castle which towers over the village, and the working watermill – Dunster boasts a number of unique attractions and features.
700
AD Origins
200+
Listed Buildings
1000+
Years of History
03 — ARCHITECTURE
Protected Heritage
Dunster is incredibly protected to ensure that it maintains its heritage. With over 200 Grade II listed, 2 Grade I and 2 Grade I* buildings, Dunster is well preserved as a living museum of English medieval architecture.
While some of the early Norman construction work remains, notably in the North wall, West door and two piers at the base of the tower, much of what is seen today is perpendicular overlaying Early English, all overlaid again with Victorian embellishments.
04 — THE ROOD SCREEN
A Legacy of Division
Following a dispute between the monks and the town in 1499, the church was divided into a conventual chapel to the East and a parochial church to the West – an arrangement that persists to this day.
One legacy of that split is the magnificent Rood Screen that spans the entire church, one of the finest examples of medieval craftsmanship in Somerset.
05 — NORMAN LEGACY
The De Mohun Family
Following the Norman Conquest, the De Mohun family took control of Dunster and built the first castle on the tor. They also established the Benedictine Priory that would shape the village’s religious life for centuries.
The castle later passed to the Luttrell family, who held it for over 600 years until it was given to the National Trust in 1976.
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