 Somerton / <unk> / is a small town and civil parish in the English county of Somerset . It gave its name to the county , and was briefly , around the start of the 14th century , the county town , and around 900 AD was possibly the capital of Wessex . It has held a weekly market since the Middle Ages , and the main square with its market cross is today an attractive location for visitors . Situated on the River Cary , approximately 8 @.@ 8 miles ( 14 @.@ 2 km ) north @-@ west of Yeovil , Somerton has its own town council serving a population of 4 @,@ 697 as of 2011 . Residents are often referred to locally as <unk> . The civil parish includes the hamlets of Etsome , <unk> , <unk> , and <unk> . 
