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Shepton Mallet is a small rural town in Somerset, England, situated five miles to the east of Wells and just south of the Mendip hills. The town has a population of 8,440 ( 2002 estimate). The town contains the administrative headquarters of Mendip District Council.

Rich in history, the market cross in the town centre dates back to the 1500s. It boasts England's oldest prison still in use. National treasures such as the Domesday Book were kept safe here in World War II. Archeologists uncovered a significant amount of Roman60 and 400 with major cities. During this time only Dacia and Mesopotamia were added to the Empire but were lost before 300. The Roman Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Roman state in the centuries following its reorganization under t artifacts in the early 1990Events January January 3 Former leader of Panama Manuel Noriega surrenders to American forces. January 7 The Leaning Tower of Pisa is closed to the public due to safety concerns. January 9 Lt Gen Bazilio Olara Okello The man who led the coup aginst Dr Apos at a site adjacent to the nearby Fosse WayThe Fosse Way was a Roman road in England which linked Exeter Isca Dumnoniorum in South West England, to Lincoln Lindum in the East Midlands, via Bath Aquae Sulis , Cirencester Corinium and Leicester Ratae Coritanorum . It formed a junction with a number.

The town's first name derives from the Anglo-Saxon for sheepThis article is about the animal; for other meanings of Sheep see Sheep (disambiguation). A sheep is any of several woolly ruminant quadrupeds, but most commonly the Domestic Sheep Ovis aries , which probably descends from the wild urial of south-central fold, pointing to the original source of the town's wealth. It was part of lands given to the Malet family by Henry IHenry I (c. 1068 December 1, 1135), called Henry Beauclerk or Henry Beauclerc because of his scholarly interests, was the youngest son of William the Conqueror. He reigned as King of England from 1100 to 1135, succeeding his brother, William II Rufus. in 1100For alternate uses, see Number 1100. Events William II of England dies in a hunting accident Henry I becomes King of England Baldwin I becomes King of Jerusalem. Baldwin of Bourcq becomes Count of Edessa. Dagobert of Pisa becomes Latin Patriarch of Jerusa, making it one of the first double place names in the country.

Shepton Mallet was a site of one of the original gatherings of the Monmouth Rebellion, after Monmouth rallied troops there in 1685 after landing at Lyme Regis. Many rebels joined the cause, but Monmouth had to return to Shepton after failing to take Bath or Bristol.

The traditional wool and silk industries were joined by brewing in the 19th century. The Anglo-Bavarian Brewery , still a local landmark, was reputedly the first in England to brew lager. The town, home to Babycham, is still an important centre for cider production.