Grade II* listed buildings in Taunton Deane

Taunton Deane shown within the county of Somerset

Taunton Deane is a local government district with borough status in the English county of Somerset. In the United Kingdom, the term listed building refers to a building or other structure officially designated as being of special architectural, historical or cultural significance; Grade II* structures are those considered to be "particularly significant buildings of more than local interest".[1] Listing was begun by a provision in the Town and Country Planning Act 1947. Once listed, severe restrictions are imposed on the modifications allowed to a building's structure or its fittings. In England, the authority for listing under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 rests with Historic England, a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport; local authorities have a responsibility to regulate and enforce the planning regulations.[2]

Taunton Deane has an area of 462 square kilometres (178 square miles), and a population as of 2016 of 115,500.[3][4] It is centred on the town of Taunton, where around 60,000 of the population live and the council are based, and includes surrounding suburbs and villages.[3]

There are 118 Grade II* listed buildings in Taunton Deane. The oldest is St George's Church, Fons George which has Saxon origins.[5] There are also Norman and medieval churches and churchyard crosses. More recent buildings include country houses and barns along with municipal buildings and an almshouse.[6] The list also includes urban properties such as those in Hammet Street and The Crescent in Taunton. Industrial sites are represented by Tonedale Mills in Wellington, the largest woollen mill in South West England.[7]

  1. ^ "Listed Buildings". Historic England. Archived from the original on 19 March 2017. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  2. ^ "Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (c. 9)". Ministry of Justice. Archived from the original on 18 April 2010. Retrieved 17 December 2007.
  3. ^ a b "Demographics". Taunton Deane Borough Council. Archived from the original on 16 October 2007. Retrieved 25 April 2009.
  4. ^ "Area: Taunton Deane (Local Authority): Key Figures for Physical Environment". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2009.
  5. ^ Historic England. "St George's Church (1060018)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  6. ^ Historic England. "St Margaret's Leper Hospital (1232831)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  7. ^ "Somerset Historic Environment Record: Tonedale Mills, Tonedale, Wellington". Somerset County Council. 1986. Archived from the original on 3 October 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2015.