Taunton

 [Description of Taunton http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/SOM/Taunton/Pigot.html] from Pigot and Co.'s National Commercial Directory of Somerset, 1830

Taunton, a populous and and respectable market-town and borough, in the hundred of its name, is situated on the river Tone, and upon the banks of the Bridgwater and Taunton canal; 146 miles from London through Salisbury, and 155 through Bath, 33 from Exeter, and 11 from Bridgwater.It derives its name from the river Thone or Tone, and in early days it was called Thono Dunum, i.e. 'the town upon the Tone'; in ancient records it has been variously spelt Thonton, Townton, Tawnton and Tantun. In the time of the Saxon it was a place of great consequence:- Ina, one of the West Saxon kings, in the year 700 built a castle on the west side of the town for his residence, and in it he is said to have held the first great council of his kingdom; this castle was destroyed by his queen, Ethelburga, but a new one was built on its site by the bishops of Winchester about the time of the conquest, and considerably repaired and improved by succeeding bishops; an embattled gateway, erected by Bishop Langton between 1486 and 1492, is still standing. The present town extends from east to west about a mile, and consists of four principal streets, which are wide and airy, fored of good houses, and many very handsome; there are also other detached rows of buildings, that may be termed elegant for their size-particularly the Crescent, which stands in an open and delightful situation. Besides the churches, the principal public edifices are, a handsome market house and town-hall; the county gaol and bridewell; the infirmary, called 'the Taunton and Somerset hospital;' and a neat theatre.

The Rev. Joseph Alleine (1633-1668), a non-conformist minister, was the assistant minister here between 1655 and 1662 when he was deprived of his ministry for his non-conformist views. Alleine is said to be the father of Isabella Alleine, mother of Katherine Rutherford (?-1738) of the Wigton Walker line.