Dunster is a compact, historic ward in rural Somerset, England, centred on the steep, cobbled streets of the village and the hilltop Dunster Castle. The medieval yarn market and a jumble of timber-framed houses speak to its medieval wool-trade past, while the River Avill runs through the settlement and the ward edges the moorland of Exmoor National Park and the coast near Minehead. A stop on the heritage West Somerset Railway and a concentration of National Trust properties give the area a strong conservation and visitor focus.
Economically and socially the ward leans heavily on tourism, hospitality and mixed farming, with a small resident community that swells in summer and for events such as the popular candlelit winter festival. The local feel is village‑scale and heritage‑led: independent shops, tea rooms and seasonal accommodation dominate, and conservation rules and visitor pressures shape everyday life.
TA24 6QX, TA23 0PN, TA23 0QY, TA24 6BE, TA4 4BU, TA23 0PR, TA4 4JF, TA23 0QA, TA24 6UQ … See all