Portal talk:Somerset

Selected article updates

Selected articles are updated monthly. A list of selected articles that have featured on the portal are given below, so that we can avoid repetition as much as possible.

Selected article

{{Somerset selected article}} can be used on the talk pages of articles which have appeared.

Article	From	To
Mendip Hills	2007-06-17	2007-11-29
Chew Valley Lake	2007-11-29	2007-12-22
Exmoor	2007-12-22	2008-09-13
Grand Western Canal	2008-09-13	2008-12-08
Quantock Hills	2008-12-08

Selected picture

Image	Article	From	To
	Wells Cathedral	2007-06-17	2007-11-29
	Bath	2007-11-29

Selected biography

Article	From	To
John Cleese	2007-06-17	2007-11-29
Jill Dando	2007-11-29	2007-12-22
Bill Bailey	2007-12-22	2008-09-13
Hugh Trenchard	2008-09-13	2008-12-08
Harry Patch	2008-12-08

Did you know?

Hook	From	To
*... that The George Inn (pictured) in Norton St Philip, Somerset, was used as an army headquarters during the Monmouth Rebellion in 1685, and then as a courtroom to try the rebels in the Bloody Assizes?	2009-07-25
*... that Montacute Priory was a dependency of Cluny Abbey from its foundation around 1100 until 1407?	2009-07-25
*... that Jasper Conran bought the 18th-century Ven House in rural Somerset and complained about plans to extend a slurry pit and install polytunnels close to the land?	2009-07-25
*... that the 13th-century Hanging Chapel in Langport has been a town hall, grammar school, museum and armoury before becoming a masonic hall?	2009-07-25
*... that when Farleigh Hungerford Castle was fortified from an existing manor house between 1370 and 1380, it was done without the appropriate "licence to crenellate" from the king?	2009-07-25
*... that the restoration of the Tithe Barn, Pilton in Somerset, England was supported by profits from the Glastonbury Festival?	2008-12-08	2009-07-25
*... that Bridgwater Bay is the location of the last mudhorse fisherman in England?	2008-12-08	2009-07-25
*... that Meare Pool was an important source of fish for Glastonbury Abbey before being drained between 1500 and 1750?	2008-12-08	2009-07-25
*... that Gants Mill is an historic watermill now generating hydroelectric power from the River Brue?	2008-12-08	2009-07-25
*... that Porlock Bay in England contains a submerged forest?	2008-12-08	2009-07-25
*...that Dowlish Wake was the home of John Hanning Speke (pictured) who explored Africa in the mid–19th century in search of the source of the Nile?	2008-09-13	2008-12-08
*... that in 1795 John Billingsley advocated straightening sections of the rivers Brue, Axe and Parrett, to increase reclamation of the Somerset Levels?	2008-09-13	2008-12-08
*...that medieval Perpendicular Gothic Somerset Towers typically feature pinnacles, lacy tracery windows and bell openings, gargoyles, arches, buttresses, merlons, and external stair turrets?	2008-09-13	2008-12-08
*...that the village of Selworthy was rebuilt by Sir Thomas Dyke Acland in 1828 as a Model village for the aged and infirm of his Holnicote Estate?	2008-09-13	2008-12-08
*...that Midford Castle was built in the shape of the ace of clubs (♣)?	2008-09-13	2008-12-08
*...that St Andrews Church, Chew Stoke (pictured) includes 156 statues of angels?	2007-06-17	2008-09-13
*...that the earliest scientifically dated cemetery in Britain was found at Aveline's Hole, at Burrington Combe in the limestone of the Mendip Hills?	2007-06-17	2007-11-29
*...that on March 28th 1944, a Junkers Ju88 was brought down by cannon fire from a de Havilland Mosquito of the Royal Air Force, and crashed on the drive to the historic Hestercombe House?	2007-06-17	2007-11-29
*...that a bronze bowl from the Iron Age Glastonbury Lake Village was made from the remnants of two separate vessels, before it was deposited in the peat?	2007-11-29	2008-09-13
*...that the Crowcombe church spire was damaged by lightning in 1724 and the top has been planted in the churchyard ever since?	2007-11-29	2007-12-22
*...that Mute Swans ring for lunch at the Bishop's Palace in Wells, UK?	2007-11-29	2007-12-22
*...that Simonsbath on Exmoor is the largest parish in Somerset covering 56 square miles (145.0 km2) but only has 75 houses?	2007-12-22	2008-09-13
*...that Hadspen House has been owned by the family of Henry Hobhouse since 1785?	2007-12-22	2008-09-13

News

Story	From	To
The Department for Communities and Local Government is considering a proposal by Somerset County Council to change Somerset's administrative structure by abolishing the five districts to create a Somerset unitary authority. The changes are planned to be implemented no later than 1 April 2009. However, support for the county council's bid is not guaranteed and opposition among the district council and local population is strong, with 82% of people responding to a referendum organized by the five district councils rejecting the proposals.	2007-06-17	2007-11-29
In 2006 Gareth Woodham, a businessman from Neath in Wales, submitted plans to Sedgemoor District Council in the name of Combined Innovations Ltd for a barrage from Brean Down near Weston-super-Mare in Somerset, to Lavernock Point near Cardiff. On 1 October 2007, the UK's Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) published a report looking at the potential of tidal power in the UK. John Hutton, Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, announced a further feasibility study on 25 September 2007 to follow on from the report by the Sustainable Development Commission. The proposal for a hydro-electric barrier to generate 8.6 GW and meet five percent of Britain's power needs, is being opposed by some environmental groups.	2007-11-29
In September 2008 it was announced, by Electricité de France (EDF) the new owners of Hinkley Point B, that a third, twin-unit European Pressurized Reactor (EPR) reactor known as Hinkley Point C is planned for Hinkley Point to join Hinkley Point A (Magnox), which is now closed and being decommissioned, and the Hinkley Point B (AGR) which is due for closure in 2016.	2008-12-08

Upgrade to selected articles etc

This portal has now been upgraded to randomly select articles, pictures, DYKs, biographies and locations each time the page has loaded. Suggestions or comments about further development and particularly any other pictures which could be included would be great.— Rod ^talk 14:33, 7 November 2010 (UTC)

Portal peer review

Portal:Somerset

I have recently developed this portal to include randomly selected components. Statistics: 34 Selected articles, all FA or GA, 12 Selected biographies, all FA, GA or B, 9 Selected pictures, 89 DYK hooks, most with free-use images, 22 Selected Settlements all FA or GA. Looking for any feedback/comments prior to WP:FPORTC. Thanks, — Rod ^talk 21:07, 8 November 2010 (UTC)

My major concern, which I have to acknowledge may be only a personal opinion, is that it might be a bit long vertically. I'm not sure that the "recognized content" section in particular is really something that we would want to maintain, particularly because it would need to be updated presumably every time an article were promoted or demoted. I have some reservations about the navboxes at the end as well. But in terms of the more generally encountered sections of the portal, I can't see any real reservations there. John Carter (talk) 18:55, 21 November 2010 (UTC)

Thanks for the comment. I based this on Portal:Law of England and Wales (a current FP candidate) which has nearly as many sections. The recognised content is updated by a bot every few weeks. I could loose the navboxes if that would help, but they should should present collapsed so don't add much to the length. What would you suggest is removed?— Rod ^talk 19:02, 21 November 2010 (UTC)

As there have been no further comments, I'll close this & nominate for featured portal.— Rod ^talk 11:29, 28 November 2010 (UTC)

Earliest occupation

The portal intro says that the earliest period of occupation was in the Neolithic (New Stone Age) period, but here it says that Somerset was occupied in the Paleolithic (Old Stone Age) period. Should this be changed? Reaper Eternal (talk) 04:00, 29 December 2010 (UTC)

Well spotted - I've changed it in the introductory paragraph.— Rod ^talk 14:50, 30 December 2010 (UTC)

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