Visitors to this site:
Settlement at Norton Fitzwarren is ancient.
There is evidence of occupation in the Stone Age and going back 3 millennia to the Bronze Age
the hill fort was fortified with earthworks that were rebuilt when itwas enlarged in the Iron Age.
Settlement here may have been continuous since Roman remains have also been found on
more than one site in the Parish.
Norton therefore is much older than the nearby town of Taunton,which recently celebrated 1100
years since the granting of its Charter and was founded by the Saxon King Ina(688-726).
The name Fitzwarren was added in the period following the Norman Conquest when the manor
was held by Fulke Fitz-Guarine (the son of Guarine), which became anglicized to Fitzwarren.
Norton is a “ton”, that is settlement, to the north: presumably because it is north of the river Tone,
whereas the old town of Taunton was originally to the south.