Dunster

Dunster

During our long weekend visit to the West Somerset Railway in October, Wendy and I had day tickets to travel the length of the railway, from Minehead to Bishops Lydeard and back, and we were delighted to take the opportunity on the Saturday, to make that round trip.

The West Somerset Railway is the longest preserved railway in England - 20 miles, with 10 stations between Minehead at the seaside, and Bishops Lydeard, inland at the Taunton end of the line, but one of the stations Wendy and I were keen to revisit was Dunster, two stops down from Minehead, so on the Sunday, we took the car and drove to the village.

There's a car park just below the Dunster Steep - we found a good spot, paid for the parking and set off to walk into the village - which is when we discovered why the Dunster Steep got its name: it's a short, but demanding walk up the hill into Dunster itself. Later,  I was assured that it is still not as bad a climb as trying to ascend on foot, the hill leading up to the castle; to get to the top, you are walking with your back almost horizontal to the ground. When we lived in Bath, friends from Kalamunda in Western Australia came over to stay with us for a few days, and we had an enjoyable day trip to Dunster. We drove there up to the castle, and we could park there; I would certainly remember a demanding hike! 

Dunster Castle dominates the area, and can be seen for miles - especially imposing when viewed from the train. Dunster Station is about two miles from the village, so we were glad we had decided to take the car.   

The family most prominent in the area were the Lutrells; wherever you look, there are numerous references to them, including the Hotel:

 

The front of the Luttrell Arms Hotel, Dunster

The Yarn Market

Last week, I tried ringing the Dunster Tourist Bureau for more information about the Yarn Market, but it is closed during the winter, and doesn't open until April! So I looked it up on Google. It came up with the following historical information - some of the dates I had remembered, but as I am also going back 40-odd years, I like to be as accurate as possible! 

 

I knew the Yarn Market itself dates back to the 17th Century, but I didn't know that by the 13th Century, Dunster had become a centre for woollen and clothing production. The market was in operation by at least 1222, and a particular kind of broadcloth became known as "Dunster."

During the Civil War (1642 - 1651), the Yarn Market was damaged; in 1647, it was restored to its present condition by Francis Luttrell, whose family name is still prominent in Dunster.

The Doll Collection Museum

Another memory for Wendy and me on this occasion, was the Doll Collection Museum; still fascinating, with toys and dolls exhibited from all over the world, and we spent a happy hour looking at the items on display, and remembering times past. 

After all this history, we started to feel a bit peckish, and asked the curator for advice about a place to enjoy a cream tea. 

Her suggestion was immediate: Locks Victorian Tea Room would be the ideal venue for us! So we set off along the High Street, to find it.