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. This site was later rebuilt as Taunton Castle by the Normans during the 12th century.
The town is notable for its historical landmarks and significant role in English uprisings. Parts of the inner ward house of Taunton Castle now house the Museum of Somerset and the Somerset Military Museum. The town served as a site for the failed Monmouth Rebellion in 1685, where the Duke of Monmouth crowned himself King of England, and it was also the location of the Bloody Assizes led by Judge Jeffreys.