Made with Xara NEW.  Walk booklets available.  Please scroll down for details. The village of Norton sub Hamdon and the adjacent hamlet of Little Norton lie some 40 metres above sea level on the fertile land below the western slope of Ham Hill in the District of South Somerset.  The land is watered by Pill Brook which drops gently down to the River Parrett to the west of the 600 acre parish, and the southern boundary is sheltered by Chiselborough Hill.  To the north, a few fields away, lies the village of Stoke sub Hamdon overlooking the Somerset Levels beyond. Ham Hill, with its great Iron Age fort, has provided Hamstone for local building from ancient times.  The warm colour and valued working qualities of this renowned freestone have made the area one of striking consistency and harmony, yet great variety.  The surrounding pastoral landscape, with its numerous paths and bridleways, is small in scale, rich in wild flora and fauna, ideal for walking, riding, cycling, and exceptionally attractive to visitors and natural history enthusiasts. Norton was long a self-sufficient settlement with an important quarrying function, lying seven miles from the town of Yeovil to the east and one mile from the Roman through route of Fosse Way.  To this day it still retains the essential community elements of church, primary school, shop, pub and village hall, serving a well-balanced population of about 650 that has varied little in number for a century while diversifying greatly in employment and improving dramatically in housing.  The majority of earners now commute elsewhere, as village industry has declined. St Mary’s Church The Lord Nelson   This website is also intended to give access to the monthly Village Newsletter for those who live outside the distribution area (and those who have already lost it). It is also to inform about news, events, local groups and details of various activities. The site, which is not officially endorsed, is sponsored and administered by mike.orchard@btinternet.com Norton has a wealth of parish footpaths (over 50 in all) and the proximity of Ham Hill adds richly to the variety of possible routes.  Several of the County long-distance trails run across the hill, including the Liberty Trail, The Leland trail, a branch of the Parrett Trail and The Monarch’s Way.  They have their own distinctive sign-posts and detailed guide books can be obtained from tourist offices. Additionally there are local guide books available in the village.  There is a set of Health Walks, all very close by; and there are two booklets of circular country walks, in and around Norton – ‘Norton Near and Far’ and ‘Norton Here and There’. These can be purchased from the Community shop, price £2-50 p. or from the author, Ken Dives,  on 01935 881046 (E-mail kdives@btinternet.com) South Somerset