Taunton is a market town and the county town of Somerset, England. It possesses a history spanning over a thousand years, beginning with a 10th-century monastic foundation owned by the Bishops of Winchester. During the 12th century, the Normans rebuilt this site as Taunton Castle.
The town is home to a minster church and several significant historical landmarks. Parts of the inner ward house of Taunton Castle currently house the Museum of Somerset and the Somerset Military Museum. The castle's Great Hall was notably used by Judge Jeffreys for the Bloody Assizes.
Taunton has been the site of notable historical conflicts, including the Second Cornish uprising of 1497, where an army led by Perkin Warbeck surrendered to Henry VII on October 4. Additionally, the town served as the location for the failed Monmouth Rebellion in 1685, during which the Duke of Monmouth attempted to crown himself King of England on June 20.