The Dark Little History of Somerset

By: Dean, Mike

The name Somerset usually conjures images of green hills, picturesque harbors, and sleepy villages with thatched cottages and quaint pubs -- but that's only part of the story.

What about the slaughter on Sedgemoor in July 1685, and its terrible aftermath in the infamous Bloody Assizes? What dark deeds unfolded along the coast during the heyday of the smugglers? Who was the curate who ended up in a cauldron, or the abbot who was hanged, drawn, and quartered? And why were there riots in Radstock in 1830?

The answers to these -- and many other macabre questions -- can be found within these pages. Journey into the darker corners of Somerset's history and meet the extraordinary characters who shaped this beloved county in unexpected, and sometimes horrifying, ways.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 183705018X
• ISBN13: 9781837050185
• Release Date: August 2026
• Publisher: History Press
• Length: 192 Pages