Shepton Mallet
The Town
South of the Somerset Mendip Hills lies market town Shepton Mallet, which, as our boutique buying agents can tell you, is the nearest town to the Glastonbury Festival. The River Sheppey and the route of the Roman Fosse Way run through the centre. As our property buying agent can confirm, the climate is generally warm, wet, and milder than the rest of the British Isles.
The population is around 8,981 - check with your real estate buyers agent. Ask your independent buying agents about the 17th century artisans’ and weavers’ cottages on Garston Street. Your property buyer can show you recent investment in the pedestrian-only Town Street north of the Market Place; ask our boutique buying agents about the new independent shops.
Our Recoco property finder will be pleased to show you numerous listed buildings - 218 in total. In the south west of the town, our property search company can show you the Grade II listed former Union Workhouse, now housing. If you’re wondering where the grand clothiers lived, ask your buyers agents about Darshill and Bowlish.
Transport
For a car-based property search, the town lies on the A37, or ask your buyers agents about the A361 on the eastern edge of town. Our independent buying agents might also mention the A371, which heads towards Wells.
Need to check rail links? Our Recoco property finder can point out the nearest railway station: Castle Cary is around eight miles away. First West of England run a bus service to the town, or your real estate buyers agent can provide details of the daily Berrys Coaches’ Superfast service to and from London.
History
Our boutique buying agents can tell you evidence of prehistoric and Roman settlement has been unearthed nearby, including pieces of Samian ware. Ask your property buying agent about the name Shepton - a corruption of the Old English words for sheep and farm. The settlement is recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book. The Saxons and Normans both left their mark here and our buyers agents can confirm that in World War Two, the prison was used as storage for several important Public Record Office documents.
Our independent buying agents can tell you several historic buildings in the town were demolished from the 1960s to the 1970s. Your real estate buyers agent might mention stones from the buildings were subsequently incorporated into a housing estate, a theatre and retail development.
Education
Your Recoco buying agent can tell you about the town’s three primary schools, Bowlish Primary School, Shepton Mallet Infants School, and St Paul’s Junior School. Technology College Whitstone School is the state secondary up to the age of 16, with nearby post-16 colleges including Strode College in Street, Norton Radstock College in Midsomer Norton, and Frome Community College.
Leisure and Events
The town has some High Street stores, or ask your Recoco buying agent about other local places of interest. Shepton Mallet F.C. is a non-league football club; the town’s Leisure Centre also hosts a hockey club, and there is bowling and park-run.
Your property search company can also outline local events including the Mid-Somerset show, a free one-day event in August, Collett Day in June in Green-Flag award-winning Collett Park, and the regular International Antiques and Collectors’ Fair.
North of the town lie Site of Special Scientific Interest Thrupe Lane Swallet and the St. Dunstan’s Well Catchment. Or ask your property buying agent about the Fairy Cave Quarry complex - the stalactites, stalagmites, and calcite curtains are amongst the best in the British Isles.
For a property buyer interested in geology, the town rests on Forest Marble, Blue Lias and Oolitic limestone. Most of the nearby countryside is used for agriculture, although your property search company can point out nearby woodland, including Beacon Hill Wood and Ham Woods.
Foodies’ Corner
If your property search is making you a little hungry, ask your Recoco buying agent for eatery recommendations. You’ll find a range of cuisines in town, from Greek dishes at Rosemary to traditional pub Poachers Pocket or delectable afternoon teas at one of the town’s traditional tea rooms. Your property buyer can also tell you the town remains known for its cider and several companies are in operation including Stone’s, Mallets, and others.
Celebrity Connections
John Lewis has influenced British High Streets for decades - your Recoco property finder can tell you the man himself was born here on 24 February 1836; and one of Waitrose’s founders, Wallace Wyndham Waite MBE, attended the Grammar School.
Fun Fact
The town’s mills were responsible for making the silk that was used in Queen Victoria’s wedding dress.