Somersetshire

Somersetshire, a county in the S.W. of England, bounded N.E. by the Bristol Channel and the Severn, and inland by Gloucester, Wilts, Dorset and Devon. The area of 1,640 squae miles consists of marshy levels on the coast, slaty cliffs to the. E., and alluvial plains or valleys to the S. divided by the bleak ranges of the Mendip, Polden, Quantock, and Brendon Hills, and the plateau of Exmoor. The chief rivers are the Avon, Parret, Yeo, and Ax. The soil is good in the lowlands, the Vale of Taunton yielding heavy grain crops, and the pastures supporting large herds of cattle, whilst sheep thrive well on the hills. Some coal is found in the E., but the chief mineral resources are Bath-stone, slate, iron, and lead. Woollen goods, gloves, lace, paper, and Bath-bricks are the only industrial products. Bath, the capital, is famous for its waters, and other centres of population are Taunton, Bridgwater, Chard, Wells, Yeovil, and Glastonbury.