About Shepton Montague

Shepton Montague is a small village and civil parish of the South Somerset district of Somerset, in a peaceful location between Castle Cary, Wincanton and Bruton. Higher Shepton, Lower Shepton and Stoney Stoke are hamlets within the parish.

Shepton Montague is just south of Bruton and only a few minutes drive by car from the historic market town of Castle Cary where there is a good range of shops and business facilities catering for most daily needs. Wincanton is also only a short drive, with supermarkets, racecourse, play centres and leisure centre. Each of the towns has Primary and Secondary schools.

The Newt in Somerset, formerly the Hadspen Estate and now a major garden and countryside attraction, plus luxury hotel and spa, is adjacent to the village. Hauser and Wirth Somerset, a pioneering gallery and multi purpose arts centre, is on the outskirts of Bruton.

The regional centres of Yeovil and Bath are within commuting distance, as is the historic Abbey town Sherborne and the hilltop town of Shaftesbury.

The National Trust centres of Stourhead and Alfred’s Tower are a short drive from the village. Both offering wonderful walks and spectacular scenery, especially in the Autumn months.

Transport

The location provides access to good transport links. 2 hours from London by train and road. 4 miles from the A303 giving easy access West and East.

Castle Cary station is 3 miles away with mainline trains to Paddington. Templecombe station is 7 miles away with a regular service to Exeter and London Waterloo. Bruton station is 2 miles away with trains running to Bath, Bristol and Weymouth.

Berry’s coaches run a direct bus from Wincanton to London Hammersmith, taking 2.5 hrs.

The A303 is accessed at Wincanton giving good access to London and the Home Counties via the M3/M25.

Bristol International Airport is also within easy driving distance.

Geography

Much of the northern and part of the southern boundaries of the main part of the parish follow streams or rivers which flow into the river Brue. From the River Pitt and its feeders in the centre of the parish below the 70-m. contour the land rises to just over 400 m. on the boundary with Bratton to the south-west and to more than 450 m. in the west above Hadspen, all on limestone and clay with Fuller’s Earth. In the centre of the main part of the parish is a small ridge of Forest Marble clay just over 120 m. above O.D. The clay ridge continues north-east to Stoney Stoke, where at a height of 114 m. it merges into Cornbrash limestone.