TAUNTON, a large town of the hundred of its name, in the county of Somerset, 144 miles from Bristol. It is finely situated in the rich and fertile valley of Taunton-Dean, which is watered by the river Tone. It has also water communication by a canal with the river Parrett and the sea at Bridgewater. It is a very well built town, with a fine market-place, in which stand both the county and the town hall. There are two churches, and that of St James is a fine and large building, with a magnificent tower. It has numerous places of worship for the several sects of Protestant dissenters, and a chapel for the Catholics, who have also lately established a female convent. This is an ancient borough, but it lost its corporate rights by suffering the numbers to become so low, and not to have a quorum left to fill up the vacancies. It is now under the jurisdiction of the county magistrates, and returns two members to parliament. It was formerly a place for manufacturing cloth goods, but that trade has greatly declined. In the mean time the trade of throwing silk has been introduced, and gives employment to some of the population. Taunton is chiefly inhabited by families of moderate incomes, who are induced to settle there from its being pleasant, cheap, and healthy. There are markets on Wednesday and on Saturday, well supplied. The inhabitants amounted in 1801 to 5794, in 1811 to 6997, in 1821 to 8534, and in 1831 to 11,139.