Worminster Farm
Worminster
Somerset BA4 4AJ

info@worminsterfarm.com

 
 

Worminster

The Dragon of Dinder

The Dragon of Dinder

 

While Worminster is a perfect rural location, we are within a mile or so of two local villages, North Wootton and Pilton, the latter famous as the village closest to the festival and Worthy Farm. And, Wells, the UK’s smallest city, is just over three miles away, Shepton Mallet is approximately four miles to the East and Glastonbury is about seven miles.

 

The Mendips, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), is just three miles away and Priddy near the summit of the Mendip range of hills, at an elevation of nearly 1,000ft above sea level, is eight miles and Cheddar Gorge is 11 miles away.

 

Bruton, regularly dubbed one of the ‘coolest’ places in the South West, is eight miles away and is home to brilliant restaurants (Osip; At The Chapel; Roth Bar & Grill), shops (Caro; Rose & Lyons; Fifty High Street) and the Hauser & Worth galleries and gardens.

 

Castle Cary Station is about nine miles and offers an excellent GWR train service to and from Paddington.

 

Bath and Bristol are both about 30 to 40 minutes drive.

 

In our immediate area, there are lots of lovely footpaths and bridleways. It’s also a great place for cycling, especially around the Levels, but expect a few tough hills in other areas! You only need to head a few yards down the lane to take-in magnificent views towards the Isle of Avalon and Glastonbury Tor. It’s a magical place that has changed very little in centuries. The locals are super-friendly and we work symbiotically with with a few of the neighbouring farms when we are planning our menus. We also stock the fridges of our holiday cottages with the cheese, yoghurts and milks that are made within just a couple of fields of our doorstep. We are at the heart of a farming community and it is important that our visitors respect this - and observe the Countryside Code.

 

Worminster is a small hamlet that is likely to be named after the Old English word for a dragon, “worm”. Or, the legend of the Dinder Worm - The Dragon of Dinder goes back for centuries, and is documented on illuminated transcript which is now preserved in Eton College Library Records. The legend goes that a terrible Dragon was terrorising both livestock and villagers. The then Bishop Jocelyn was called upon to save the people of Dinder. He rode out with his men at arms, but at the last furlong commanded them to remain at a distance while he rode on and single-handedly beheaded the beast. The legend of the Dragon of Dinder lives on. Every 50 years since then a celebration of the slaying of the Dragon has been held. The legend says that should this tradition be forgotten and the slaying not re-enacted by a left-handed man of the cloth the Dragon may return. There is a mosaic depicting the story made by the children of nearby Wells and Dinder set in stone on the perimeter walk of the Bishop's Palace and there is a large pink dragon on nearby Worminster Sleight Hill.

 

We love Worminster but if the sight of tractors on muddy narrow lanes isn’t for you and you don’t like the thought of absolute silence only occasionally punctured by the sound of cows, sheep, pheasants, wood pigeons, owls and the like, then it might not be the place for you.

  

RECOMMENDATIONS & SUGGESTIONS

We are always pleased to recommend the best things to do and see in the area. And, we can often help secure reservations, sometimes even when a restaurant or destination is fully booked. In particular, we have a very good relationship with Merlin Labron-Johnson and his team at Osip in Bruton who were recently awarded a Michelin star. Please email info@worminsterfarm.com for further information.

 

Nearby

Louise Bourgeois – Hauser+Wirth

Louise Bourgeois – Hauser+Wirth

 

Somerset

Somerset levels from Glastonbury Tor

Somerset levels from Glastonbury Tor

 

We like to think that the ‘Land of the Summer People’ is the best place to be. It’s a county with a wonderful history and a distinctive character. The scenic landscape offers everything from beautiful vales to rugged limestone hills and moorland to the iconic low-lying marshland that is the Somerset Levels. More recently, Somerset has welcomed some exceptional new arrivals, especially in and around nearby Bruton and Castle Cary.

 

Somerset is also home to the highest number of food producers in any UK county – with a dedicated network of over 8,500 farmers and food producers. More than 65% of the county is used for farming activities – it’s more like 99% in Worminster. So, it’s no surprise the county boasts national and world-famous produce. Somerset’s culinary offering is readily available across the county, with farm shops and delicatessens stocking a plethora of fresh and artisan local food and drink. Dairy herds grazing in the county’s rich pastures produce the creamy milk perfect for cheese making - including the county’s signature cheddar cheeses, named after the Somerset village it was founded in. Somerset is one of the biggest cider counties in the UK and this much-loved drink can be found in many variations throughout the county – from fancy cyder at The Newt to Roger Wilkins’s more rustic offerings.

As for the people of Somerset, King Alfred the Great (848/849 – 899) coined the county motto “Sumorsæte ealle” which translates to “all the people of Somerset”. Recently, this has been adapted to identify the influx of artists, creatives and celebrities seeking arcadia. We particularly like the following text taken from the brilliant book Somerset – A View from the Hill by Matilda Temperley; “The inhabitants of this county are plain, honest, and hospitable, but unpolished, and reserved in conversation. They entertain a kind of indifference for the rest of the world, owing probably, to the good opinion they entertain of their own portion of it.” John Strachey 1737

 

Here’s a few useful links to help you discover more about Somerset

https://www.somersetlive.co.uk

https://www.visitsomerset.co.uk

https://swheritage.org.uk/museum-of-somerset/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somerset

https://www.mendiphillsaonb.org.uk/