An attractive market town
with a sense of the Georgian, this place on
the banks of the River Tone inspired Arthur
Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, to adopt
its name. He owned an estate here and a 175ft
monument on the highest point of the nearby
Black Down Hills acts as a reminder of his
past glories. The town’s woollen industry
dates back several centuries and a local
museum recounts the story of one of its
greatest exponents, the Fox Family, who also
gave the town a park. Nightlife here includes
a visit to a 1930s cinema.
Another famous citizen of
Wellington was Sir John Popham. As Lord Chief
Justice of England he was involved in the
trials of Mary Queen of Scots, Guy Fawkes and
Sir Walter Raleigh. He is remembered by a
monument in the local parish church.
