The Duke of Wellington

A local landmark for nearly 200 years, The Duke of Wellington was built in 1820 as a coaching inn and posting house. The four-horse mail coach to Taunton, via Dunster, left the inn daily to the sound of horn-blowing. A rival coach left The Plume of Feathers, for Bridgwater, three days a week. Daniel Defoe (author of Robinson Crusoe) stayed at The Plume of Feathers in the early 18th century. The inn stood opposite The Duke of Wellington, until its demolition in 1965. Rebuilt in 1893, 'The Wellington' was named after Arthur Wellesley, who was created Duke of Wellington in 1814. Wellesley was honoured for his part in defeating the forces of Napoleon Bonaparte which culminated in the Battle of Waterloo.