Taunton, United Kingdom

Taunton lies on the River Tone between the Quantock, Blackdown, and Brendon hills. The area is known as the Vale of Taunton. It is surrounded by many other large towns and cities seen on this directional compass:

Taunton is 38 miles (61 km) south-west of Bristol, 28 miles (45 km) north-east of Exeter, 63 miles (101 km) north-east of Plymouth and 40 miles (64 km) north-west of Weymouth.

The Taunton area has Permian red sandstones and breccia outcrop 295–250 million years old. Rocks of Triassic age (248–204 million years ago) underlie much of Somerset's moors and levels.

The several local nature reserves in and around Taunton are protected under section 21 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. South Taunton Streams is an urban wetland. The northern suburbs include the Children's Wood riverside reserve, a movement corridor for animals such as otters along the banks of the Tone. Birds include the kingfisher, dipper, grey wagtail, mute swan, grey heron, and reed warbler; butterflies include the small and large skipper, marbled white, small heath, and small copper - along with dragonflies and damselflies.

Taunton Deane had low unemployment of 4.1 per cent compared with a national average of 5.0 per cent in 2005.

Taunton is home to the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO), a Ministry of Defence body responsible for providing navigational and other hydrographic information for national, civil and defence requirements. The UKHO is located on Admiralty Way and has a workforce of about 1100. At the start of the Second World War, chart printing moved to Taunton, but the main office did not follow until 1968. Cider is produced at many places in Taunton and the surrounding area.

Taunton's principal shops developed on the three streets that converge at Fore Street and the Market House: East Street, North Street and, to the south, High Street. Many national 'High Street' brands became established on these streets as smaller retailers closed, for example the first store of the multinational New Look clothing retailer opened in Taunton in 1969, however smaller retailers continue to operate in side streets such as the historic Bath Place (off the High Street) and St James Street (off North Street). Taunton's oldest established large store is Hatcher's which has been on the High Street since 1894 and can trace its origins to a drapery business that started in 1775 on East Street.

Taunton town centre has the Brewhouse Theatre. It closed in February 2013 due to financial difficulties, but reopened in April 2014 under the Taunton Theatre Association (TTA), which was granted the 61-year lease that Taunton Deane Borough Council had bought on the site and its contents from the administrator. Tacchi-Morris Arts Centre is a professional theatre based at Monkton Wood Academy, hosting touring theatre, dance and comedy, and productions by South West schools and colleges. Tacchi-Morris Arts Centre also runs community classes. The Creative Innovation Centre CIC has an arts and culture venue in the town centre.

Taunton Flower Show is held each August in Vivary Park. It is the oldest flower show in England, the first show having been at the Assembly Rooms in 1831 and in the park since 1851.

The County Cricket Ground has hosted some open-air concerts including Elton John in 2006 and Rod Stewart in 2014. Several concerts are held each year at Taunton's largest church, St Mary Magdalene. In recent years The Sixteen, The Tallis Scholars and Gabrieli Consort have all performed to full audiences. Taunton also has several choirs and orchestras that perform in the town's churches and school chapels. Many music and drama groups are members of the Taunton Association of Performing Arts (TAPA), which produces a diary and calendar of performances in and about the town.

State secondary schools in Taunton include The Castle School, Monkton Wood Academy, Bishop Fox's School and The Taunton Academy. Further education is offered by Richard Huish College, The Taunton Academy (sponsored by Richard Huish College) and Bridgwater and Taunton College. Heathfield Community School has a post-16 further education college specialising in performing arts and technical theatre called The SPACE (The Somerset Performing Arts Centre for Education). Heathfield Community School is also a teaching school and the base of Taunton Teaching Alliance. The Taunton campus of Bridgwater and Taunton College is a partner of Plymouth University and includes University Centre Taunton. There are three co-educational private schools: Queen's College, King's College and Taunton School.

In March 2009, it was found that Jim Knight, Minister of State for Schools and Families, had approved the closure of Ladymead Community School and the nearby St Augustine of Canterbury RC/CoE School in the Priorswood area of Taunton. They gave way in September 2010 to the Taunton Academy.