Description

How well do you know Somerset? A new book by journalists Gay Pirrie-Weir and Fanny Charles looks beyond and beneath the image of Somerset as the land of Cheddar cheese, cider, Lorna Doone and, nowadays, even “Notting Hill in the country.” Long-time Somerset residents, the authors follow their previous books, Deepest Dorset and Deepest Wiltshire, with a colourful, informative and engaging dip into the food, culture, history, landscape and future of this fascinating county.

Get a taste of Porlock oysters and real farmhouse Cheddar, meet the acclaimed husband and wife artists who are also traditional mummers, see how many films and television programmes have been made here, follow in the footsteps of the Monmouth Rebellion, read about Michael Eavis’s lifelong Methodist faith and why the Quakers have such a strong Somerset heritage, gasp at a gruesome Quantock murder and the headless bear of Ditcheat, and discover the origins of the world-famous Guy Fawkes Carnival at Bridgwater.

Deepest Somerset, which covers the ceremonial county including Bath, has an introduction by His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, looking at the cultural links between communities, food, farming and the landscape. Contributors include Sir Cameron Mackintosh, the Lord Lieutenant Mrs Annie Maw, Bath antiquarian bookseller Edward Bayntun-Coward, cider expert, poet and historian James Crowden, private chef Philippa Davis, choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, Costa Book award-winning children’s novelist Jasbinder Bilan and National Hunt trainer Paul Nicholls. The outstanding photographs are by Matilda Temperley, Len Copland, David Blake and Ian Sumner.

So how well do you know Somerset? Join the authors for a journey through the past, present and future of this beautiful, diverse county. From hunky punks to Hinkley Point – discover Deepest Somerset.

All Deepest Books proceeds go to local charities. The Somerset beneficiaries are Somerset Community Foundation, the Farming Community Network and the Children’s Hospice South West.