Shepton Mallet

Shepton Mallet has a long history – there is evidence of Bronze and Iron Age settlements in the area. By Medieval times the town was a renowned sheep market and by the eighteenth century the town was a mixture of mills, markets and manor houses that remains little changed to this day. The 15th century Market Cross stands at fifty feet near the old meat market, a maze of lanes converge and flow into the market square, which throb Fridays’ market days.

In keeping with its reputation as a ‘sheep town’, Shepton Mallet plays host to the annual Bath & West Agricultural Show, when local farmer converge from all over the county and beyond to show their livestock.

Shepton Mallet is not without a touch of glamour: it is home to the upmarket Mulberry label and you can stay at Charlton House, which is a sumptuous showcase for the company’s products, and dine in the hotels award winning Mulberry Restaurant, which boasts a much coveted Michelin star.