21 SECRETS OF SOMERSET

Author MIKE DEAN reveals some of the lesser-known Somerset secrets that appear in his latest book - did you know them?

- MIKE DEAN

1 There are people living in the Cheddar area today whose DNA matches that of Cheddar Man, who lived in the region 10,000 years ago.

2 The Somerset Levels is home to what is believed to be the oldest trackway (ancient roadway) in Europe, dating from around 4,000 BC.

3 The county has one of the largest Iron Age hillforts in Britain at Ham Hill, covering an area of about 210 acres.

4 In 2009, during excavations for a ‘Park and Ride’ site at Taunton, the remains of one of Britain’s largest known Iron Age roundhouses were discovered.

5 A Roman amulet found in 1990 near Shepton Mallet, and thought to be one of the earliest examples of Christian art in Britain, subsequently proved to be a fake.

6 In the 17th century. Somerset had its own ‘Witchfinder General’.