Watchet
Watchet is a harbour community, civil parish as well as selecting ward in the English region of Somerset, with a population of 3,785. It is located 15 miles (24 km) west of Bridgwater, 15 miles (24 kilometres) north-west of Taunton, and also 9 miles (14 kilometres) eastern of Minehead. The town lies at the mouth of the Washford River on Bridgwater Bay, part of the Bristol Channel, and also on the edge of Exmoor National Park. The initial negotiation may have been at the Iron Age fort Daw's Castle. It then transferred to the mouth of the river as well as a small harbour developed, called by the celts as "Gwo Coed" implying Under the Wood. After the Saxon conquest of the area the town developed and was known as Weced or Waeced as well as was struck by Vikings in the 10th century. Profession making use of the harbour slowly expanded, in spite of damage during several severe tornados, with import and exports of items including those from Wansbrough Paper Mill till the 19th century when it boosted with the export of iron ore, brought from the Brendon Hills via the West Somerset Mineral Railway, mostly to Newport for onward transport to the Ebbw Vale Steelworks. The West Somerset Railway also offered the town and port bringing products as well as people from the Bristol and Exeter Railway. The iron ore profession decreased and also stopped in the early-20th century. The port continued a smaller business trade up until 2000 when it was converted into a marina. The church is committed to Saint Decuman who is believed to have died here around 706. An early church was built near Daw's Castle and also a brand-new church was erected in the 15th century. It has a number of tombs and monoliths to Sir John Wyndham and his family that were the lords of the chateau. Samuel Taylor Coleridge's rhyme The Rime of the Ancient Mariner which was written in the area is honored by a statue on the harbourside.
