Taunton /ˈtɔːntən/ is a large town in Somerset, England. The town's population in 2011 was 69,570.[2] Taunton has over 1,000 years of religious and military history, including a 10th-century monastery and Taunton Castle, which has origins in the Anglo Saxon period and was later the site of a priory. The Normans then built a stone structured castle, which belonged to the Bishops of Winchester. The current heavily reconstructed buildings are the inner ward, which now houses the Museum of Somerset and the Somerset Military Museum.

The town has been the site of many historically important events. During the Second Cornish uprising of 1497, Perkin Warbeck marched a primarily Cornish army some 6,000 strong upon Taunton and most of that army surrendered to Henry VII on 4 October 1497 in the town.[3][4] On 20 June 1685 the Duke of Monmouth crowned himself king of England at Taunton during the Monmouth Rebellion, which culminated in the Battle of Sedgemoor; Following this, Judge Jeffreys lived in the town during the Bloody Assizes which took place in the Great Hall of Taunton Castle (now the Museum of Somerset), amongst other trials.[5]

The Grand Western Canal reached Taunton in 1839 and the railway in 1842.