7 0 ▁scheduled ▁monuments ▁in ▁the ▁cer emon ial ▁county ▁of ▁Som erset ▁in ▁South ▁West ▁England . ▁The ▁county ▁consists ▁of ▁a ▁non - met ropol itan ▁county , ▁admin ister ed ▁by ▁Som erset ▁County ▁Council , ▁which ▁is ▁divided ▁into ▁five ▁districts , ▁and ▁two ▁unit ary ▁authorities . ▁The ▁districts ▁of ▁Som erset ▁are ▁West ▁Som erset , ▁South ▁Som erset , ▁Ta un ton ▁De ane , ▁M end ip ▁and ▁Sed g emo or . ▁The ▁two ▁administr atively ▁independent ▁unit ary ▁authorities , ▁which ▁were ▁established ▁on ▁ 1 ▁April ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁following ▁the ▁break up ▁of ▁the ▁county ▁of ▁Av on , ▁are ▁North ▁Som erset ▁and ▁Bath ▁and ▁North ▁East ▁Som erset . ▁These ▁unit ary ▁authorities ▁include ▁areas ▁that ▁were ▁once ▁part ▁of ▁Som erset ▁before ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁Av on ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 . ▁ ▁A ▁scheduled ▁monument ▁is ▁a ▁nation ally ▁important ▁arch ae ological ▁site ▁or ▁monument ▁which ▁is ▁given ▁legal ▁protection ▁by ▁being ▁placed ▁on ▁a ▁list ▁( or ▁" sch edule ") ▁by ▁the ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Culture , ▁Media ▁and ▁Sport ; ▁English ▁Heritage ▁takes ▁the ▁leading ▁role ▁in ▁ident ifying ▁such ▁sites . ▁ ▁The ▁current ▁legisl ation ▁gover ning ▁this ▁is ▁the ▁An cient ▁Mon uments ▁and ▁Arch ae ological ▁Are as ▁Act ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁ ▁The ▁term ▁" mon ument " ▁can ▁apply ▁to ▁the ▁whole ▁range ▁of ▁arch ae ological ▁sites ,