Information about Minehead

Minehead is a coastal town in west Somerset, England with a population of around 10,000. The original name of the town was 'mynedd' which means hill in Welsh. Minehead has a long history as a port with the current harbour incorporating a pier dating from 1616. Trade was primarily with Wales for cattle, sheep, wool, butter, fish and coal. These are commemorated in the town arms which include a woolpack and sailing ship. In Victorian times tourism grew as an important industry.

The town is overlooked by North Hill, and is close to Exmoor National Park. The cliff exposures around the shoreline are dramatic and fossils are exposed. The town's major tourist attraction is Butlins holiday camp. Other attractions include: the terminus of the West Somerset Railway; the town's main ornamental park, off Blenheim Road (Blenheim Gardens); and the Minehead & West Somerset Golf Club, Somerset's oldest golf club, established in 1882. There are a variety of sailing and wind surfing options, in addition to the usual beach activities. In addition, there are many amusement arcades and a variety of well-known high street stores (such as W H Smith and Woolworths) together with independent local shops. The town is the starting point of the South West Coast Path National Trail, the nation's longest long-distance countryside walking trail.

One popular ancient local tradition involves the Hobby Horse which takes to the streets on the eve of the first of May each year, with accompanying musicians and rival horses, for four days. In fact there are two rival hobby horses, the Sailor's Horse and the Town Horse. The horses' visits are believed to bring good luck. In the past there was also a similar hobby horse based at the nearby village of Dunster, which would sometimes visit Minehead. The first of May has been a festival day in Minehead since 1465.

The town's location—sea to the north and Exmoor to the south—means that transport links are limited. However, Minehead is located on the A39 road and the Minehead Railway was opened on 16 July 1874, linking the town to Taunton and beyond. It was closed on 4 January 1971 but has since been reopened as the West Somerset Railway. Minehead railway station is walking distance to the beach.

In Minehead, there are two first schools, one middle school and a secondary school, West Somerset Community College. In 2006 there was debate within Somerset about changing the county's 3-tier school system to a 2-tier system to match the majority of education authorities in the UK.

Photographs of Minehead