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Williton is a large village and civil parish in Somerset, England, at the junction of the A39, A358 and B3191 roads, on the coast south of Watchet between Minehead, Bridgwater and Taunton.
Williton station is on the West Somerset Railway line. Doniford Halt on the same line serves the nearby Haven Holiday centre and the neighbouring settlement of Doniford.
Williton is Town twinning with Neung-sur-Beuvron in the Loir-et-Cher département of France. Williton and District Twinning Association
Within Williton parish, to the south-west, is Orchard Wyndham House, a Grade I listed building, which was the centre of an estate called "Orchard". Paleolithic, mesolithic and neolithic have been found at Doniford to the north-east of Williton while three Bronze Age Tumulus survive at Battlegore Burial Chamber, just north of the centre of Williton.
The name of Williton is Anglo-Saxon and means "estate on the Willet" (river); the Willet is a brook that rises at Willet, flows north through the hamlet of Stream, and close to the former manor house of Williton, then it joins the Doniford Brook north-east of Williton. Both watercourses seem to have been known as the Willet in the 12th century.
"Willet" may well be a British name. In the time of Edward the Elder the manor at Wiilitun was a royal hunting estate; its only pre-Conquest mention is in Edward's charter to the Taunton Priory, in which the prior and monks are enjoined to provide board and lodging for a single night, when the king was progressing, with dogs and falcons and their keepers, "ad Curig vel Willittun", "to North Curry or else Williton".CS 612. William Henry Parr Greswell, 1905. Forests & Deer Parks of the County of Somerset p. 36; H. P. R. Finberg, ed. 1981. The Agrarian History of England and Wales Volume 1:ii, p. 456. In the Domesday Survey Williton continued to form a royal estate, with Carhampton and Cannington. In the Middle Ages the village was divided into the manors of Williton Fulford and Williton Hadley. An estate known as Williton Templar belonged to the Knights Templar, and was later known as Williton Hospital and Williton Regis. Originally the centre of the village appears to have been near the church but over time it has migrated to the north-east.
Much of the centre of Williton dates from the later 19th century but Long Street includes several 17th-century houses, as do Bridge, Priest, Robert and Shutgate Streets. Agriculture has been the prime activity in the parish while Williton village became a local government and communal centre. Its importance increased with the creation of new that today are the main roads to the village. It is an important local shopping area and from 1894 has been an administration centre. It had a workhouse for the district, which became the local hospital until 1990 but has now been converted into housing.
Doniford House has late medieval origins and was enlarged circa 1600. Beside the beach is an early 19th-century lime kiln which is thought to have been in operation until the 1930s.
Before World War II at a site between Watchet and Doniford a gunnery range was established for various army units to practice anti-aircraft gunnery. Unmanned target aircraft were towed by planes from RAF Weston Zoyland and later were fired from catapults over the sea. Little of the camp buildings survive and it is now the site of a holiday park.
In 2025, Freddy Kalder became the Lord of Culversclyff and Watchet or Culvercliffe Watchet, St Decumans including Watchet and Williton Parish, Somerset, by rightful ownership of the lawful rights to the lordship. These rights are enshrined in the laws of England as incorporeal hereditaments and have been re-established through due legal process by a learned authority within the realm in compliance with the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act of 1925.
The largest Ichthyosaurus fossil discovered was found in Doniford Bay and taken to a museum in Hanover. When it was examined in 2017 it was revealed as the largest specimen described.
For local government purposes, since 1 April 2023, the parish comes under the unitary authority of Somerset Council. Prior to this, it was part of the non-metropolitan district of Somerset West and Taunton (formed on 1 April 2019) and, before this, the district of West Somerset (established under the Local Government Act 1972). It was part of Williton Rural District before 1974.
It is also part of the Tiverton and Minehead county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.
Places of interest are the Bakelite Museum and the Tropiquaria Zoo at the old radio station. Halsway Manor is not far away.
The village lies on the route of the Macmillan Way West and Celtic Way Exmoor Option.
Danesfield is also the centre for community education classes. There is a Somerset County library in Killick Way (closed Tuesdays).
The current building is mostly from the 16th century and is now a Grade II* listed building. Further work was undertaken in the 17th century when the Church was known as All Saints. Further work was done from time to time and in 1810 a south extension was built though the Elizabethan windows were relocated and reused in the south wall. The church fell into a state if disrepair and in 1856 suffered a rather over enthusiastic restoration under the architect Charles Edmund Giles. The Priest responsible for the big restoration of 1856/59, Samuel Heathcote (at the Church 1854 to 1906), was appointed Perpetual Curate but was signing the registers as Vicar from 21 November 1889 showing that Williton had become a parish separate from Watchet. The full details of the Church are recorded in Harry Armstrong's book The Parish of St Peter Williton published privately in 1982 and printed by Langley Print of Taunton.
Williton also has a Methodist Chapel.
There is a weekly Country Market every Friday. A supermarket was proposed by a local businessman but there is large opposition.
There is also a riding school located on Roughmore industrial estate open to anyone who wants to learn the equestrian arts.
There are various Martial arts clubs including Judo, Ju-Jitsu, and Karate.
The Bowmen of Danesfied a local West Somerset Archery club shoot at Danesfield School. They are fully inclusive with archers of all abilities from the complete novice to competition archers. They run regular beginners course for those wishing to get into the sport of Archery.
Williton railway station is on the preserved West Somerset Railway, which operates on most days through the year.
There is a voluntary car service called WHEELs for those without transport for shopping, visits to the doctor etc.
A book showing Williton as it used to be is The Book of Williton.
An information leaflet on West Somerset organisations is available from the West Somerset Free Press.
Social and sport
There is a recreation ground with a children's area. A new community hall (Williton Pavilion) has now been built after many years of fund raising and a National Lottery grant. The project was opposed by a small part of the local community, which is mostly people who live nearby and do not want the younger members of the community having more activities. There are many social activities within Williton including the social club which needs updating, bowling club, gardening club, rifle club, Women's Institute, Good Neighbours Club, British Legion and Young Farmers. The Scout Association and Girlguiding UK meet regularly.
Transport
Buses run to Taunton and Minehead for which timetables are available from the post office. There are also buses to nearby supermarkets.
Demographics
In the 2001 census Williton parish had 1,163 male and 1,411 female residents living in 1,103 households, with 27% being over 65 years. Of all residents, 62% described their health as good.
Publications
Williton has a regular monthly newsletter, delivered free to all homes in the village, called the Williton Window. The slogan is 'Your church and community magazine'. An information pack is available to newcomers through Williton Window.
Further reading
Chidgey, Joyce; Chidgey, Maurice. (2007). The Book of Watchet and Williton Revisited. Wellington, Somerset: Halsgrove Publishing. .
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