Yarn Market, Dunster

Dunster Castle stands on a site which has been fortified since the late Anglo-Saxon period, signifying the importance of the area. A stone shell keep was built on the motte by the start of the 12th century, and the castle survived a siege during the early years of the Anarchy. At the end of the 14th century the de Mohuns sold the castle to the Luttrell family. Dunster had become a centre for woollen and clothing production by the 13th century, with the market dating back to at least 1222, and a particular kind of kersey or broadcloth became known as 'Dunsters'. The prosperity of Dunster was based on the wool trade, with profits helping to pay for the construction of the tower of the Priory…

The octagonal building, which is 9.4 m in diameter, has a central stone pier which supports a heavy timber framework for the structure. The slate roof has a central wooden lantern topped by a weather vane. Around the periphery is a low wall and vertical timber supports. Some of the sills are stone and others timber. Following the damage, it was restored in 1647 to its present condition by Francis Luttrell.