Kate's Jewellery

Shepton Mallet, Somerset

Shepton Mallet is a small rural town and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. It contains the administrative headquarters of Mendip District Council.

The town is approximately 18 mi (29 km) south of Bristol and 5 mi (8.0 km) east of Wells. The Mendip Hills lie to the north, and the River Sheppey runs through the town.

Shepton Mallet lies on the route of the Fosse Way, the principal Roman road into the south-west of England, and there is evidence of Roman settlement. In medieval times, the wool industry was important in the town's economy, although this declined in the 18th century to be replaced by other industries.

The town has a population of 8,981 (Office for National Statistics - 2001). There is a local perception that the Shepton Mallet is in economic decline, although the District Council argues that this is not borne out by the figures.

There are 218 listed buildings in Shepton Mallet and the town is in receipt of funding for the restoration of chosen town centre historic buildings from the English Heritage Heritage Economic Regeneration Scheme and the National Lottery Townscape Heritage Initiative.

The hexagonal, 50 ft (15 m) tall, market cross in the town centre dates back to the 1500s, and was rebuilt in 1841. Also in the market place is The Shambles, a medieval market stall, although it has been much restored.

Shepton Mallet's historic prison is located close to the town centre, adjacent to the parish church.

There are a number of fine houses in the older parts of the town around Lower Lane and Legg Square, as well as in the outlying suburbs such as Bowlish and Charlton.

The Anglo-Bavarian Brewery was built in the 1860s and still dominates the western parts of Shepton Mallet. Two now-disused railway viaducts are to be found in the town, including the Charlton Viaduct which has 27 arches.

The market cross, the prison and prison wall, The Merchants House (8 Market Place), Anglo-Bavarian Brewery, Charlton Viaduct, Park House (Forum Lane) and the former St Michael's Roman Catholic Church (Townsend). Bowlish House and Old Bowlish House in Bowlish are the town's nine grade II* listed buildings.

When the town centre was remodelled in the 1970s, a new entertainment complex called The Centre was built, in concrete, on the eastern side of the market square.

When the allegedly Roman Chi Rho amulet was found in the Fosse Lane excavations in the 1990s, the complex was renamed The Amulet in honour of the find. It has recently been renamed again as The Academy.

Shepton benefits from a sizeable park, a gift of land from a local man, John Kyte Collett. As a boy he was thrown out of the grounds of local estates for trespass so in later life he purchased and gave land to the town to provide a public space; this is called Collett Park in his honour.

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