History – The Somerset Arms, Semington

Semington Village

A Settlement with Deep Roots in West Wiltshire

Semington is an old settlement and people have lived here since the 12th century. Situated between Melksham and Trowbridge in the heart of West Wiltshire — just a mile south of Melksham — the parish includes the settlements of Little Marsh and Littleton, with most of the village clustered around the High Street, now a quiet no-through road.

The village is surrounded by low-intensity agricultural land, mainly on flood plains set to open pasture. Its farmhouses date from the 1500s, and the parish has a number of notable buildings from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. St George's Church dates from around 1300, and records of Littleton Mill — burnt down in 1802 during protests against the introduction of machinery — go back equally far.

According to the 2011 Census, 930 people lived in the parish in 389 households. The village has many active clubs and societies, businesses and farms, as well as a busy Village Hall (built 1933, recently refurbished), an active church, and a popular primary school established in 1859. The Kennet & Avon Canal and Semington Brook form the northern boundary of the village, with the canal towpath being one of the most popular walking and cycling routes in the area.

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St George's Church, c.1300

One of the oldest buildings in the parish, standing at the heart of Semington for over 700 years.

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Farmhouses from the 1500s

The village is surrounded by historic agricultural land, with farmsteads and notable houses from the 16th–19th centuries.

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Village School, est. 1859

Semington's school has served generations of local children and continues to thrive in modern buildings today.

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Canal Junction & Towpath

The Wilts & Berks Canal once started at Semington (closed 1914); today the Kennet & Avon towpath is among the most walked routes in Wiltshire.

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Village Hall, built 1933

The geographical and social heart of the village — recently refurbished and home to clubs, societies and the Parish Council.

The Pub Itself

Character & Charm

More Than a Place to Drink

A True Coaching Inn

The Somerset Arms is a fabulous coaching inn positioned in the quiet heart of Semington village, within easy reach of Bath, Bradford on Avon and many other West Country destinations. Its thick stone walls and historic character are the product of centuries of use as a travellers' resting place.

Roaring Fires & Real Ales

The pub was known for its roaring fires, warm atmosphere and well-kept cellar. Holding Guinness Quality Accreditation, it served real ale, cider, wine and traditional food made from fresh local ingredients — a proper pub in every sense.

Food, Rooms & Welcome

As well as its restaurant — praised for interesting dishes crafted from local produce — the Somerset Arms offered three clean, comfortable ensuite bedrooms, making it a destination for visitors to this part of Wiltshire as well as a local institution.

Canal-Side & Country Walks

Walkers, cyclists and boaters on the Kennet & Avon Canal have long made the Somerset Arms a natural stopping point. Dog-friendly throughout — with water bowls, treats and walks on the doorstep — it welcomed everyone who passed through.

The Last Village Pub

When The Bell closed around 1960, the Somerset Arms became Semington's only pub. For over 60 years it was the sole focal point for village social life — from everyday pints to celebrations, fundraisers and community events.

A Grade II Listed Building

Listed by Historic England in January 1988 (entry 1262379), the Somerset Arms is recognised as a building of special architectural and historic interest. Any future renovation will honour and preserve its character — that is central to the CBS vision.

Origins

1800s

Early

Heritage

Founded on the High Street — Named After the Duke of Somerset

The Somerset Arms has stood on the High Street at the centre of Semington, Wiltshire for over 200 years. The pub takes its name directly from the Duke of Somerset, and was part of the Duke's estate until at least 1929.

In its earliest years it served as a coaching inn, ideally positioned on the strategic turnpike road operating between Bath and Salisbury, as well as providing onward connections to Devizes and London. Travellers, traders and merchants would have stopped here to rest, water their horses and take refreshment.

The Canal Era

1804

Canal

The Kennet & Avon Canal Reaches Semington

By 1804 the Kennet & Avon Canal had reached Semington, providing a vital navigable link between the River Thames at Reading and the Bristol Channel via the River Avon between Bath and Bristol. This opened a new era for the Somerset Arms — it would no doubt have served many of the navvies who helped dig and build the canal itself.

For generations afterwards, the pub became a natural stopping point for boaters navigating the canal, adding a new dimension to its community role alongside the road travellers it already served. The Wilts & Berks Canal also started at Semington and ran until its closure in 1914; today a new canal connection is proposed, which would restore the historic waterway junction that once made Semington a notable point on the inland waterway network.

Canal lock near Semington on the Kennet and Avon Canal

Modern Recognition

1988

Jan

Grade II Listed

Historic England Lists the Building — Grade II

In January 1988 the Somerset Arms was given Grade II listed status by Historic England, acknowledging its special architectural and historic interest. Entry number 1262379 on the National Heritage List for England formally recognises the building as part of our national heritage.

This listing is a significant factor in our plans — it means the building must be preserved and any renovation must respect its historic character.

Village Life

c.1960

Heritage

Becomes Semington's Only Pub After The Bell Closes

With the closure of The Bell around 1960, the Somerset Arms became Semington's sole remaining pub. It had already been at the heart of village life long before this — hosting national celebrations, community gatherings, and everyday social connection for generations of villagers.

It continued as a free house throughout this period, serving real ales and traditional food, and providing a warm social hub for the community as well as the many walkers, cyclists and boaters using the Kennet & Avon Canal towpath nearby.

Community Protection

2023

May

Asset of Community Value

Wiltshire Council Designates the Pub an Asset of Community Value

In May 2023, the Somerset Arms was formally declared an Asset of Community Value (ACV) by Wiltshire Council, supported by Semington Parish Council. This designation recognises the pub's importance to the community and crucially provides community groups with the right to bid for the property when it is put up for sale.

This was a vital early step that laid the groundwork for the community purchase campaign that followed.

Closure & Sale

2023

Closed

The Somerset Arms Pulls Its Last Pint

The Somerset Arms survived COVID — a remarkable feat — but sadly pulled its final pint in 2023, just a few days before the Coronation of King Charles III. With no new tenant willing to take it on, the Wellington Pub Company announced the building would be put up for sale in 2024.

The closure left a very visible void at the centre of the village. The High Street lost its focal point. England and Wales lost 366 pubs in 2025 alone, according to the Institute of Licencing, but Semington was determined this would not be a permanent ending for the Somerset Arms.

The Community Response

2024

Late

Campaign Begins

SPAG Formed — Villagers Decide to Act

Inspired by a growing number of communities across the UK that have bought and revived their local pub, a determined group of Semington villagers formed the Semington Pub Action Group (SPAG) in late 2024. Their goal was singular and unwavering: save the Somerset Arms for the village and future generations.

SPAG subsequently evolved into the Semington Community Benefit Society Limited (FCA Reg. No. 9716), approved on 23 February 2026 — a formal, legally constituted body with the capacity to raise funds and purchase the pub.

The Next Chapter

2026

Onwards

The Future

Your Help Can Write the Next Chapter

With your support — through donations, community shares, and volunteering — we can purchase the Somerset Arms, restore it with care, and reopen it as a thriving community pub once more. A place for real ales and Sunday roasts, for live music and village events. A place for everyone.

The Somerset Arms has stood for over 200 years. Together, we can make sure it stands for 200 more.

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The Somerset Arms