THE King's representative in Somerset has been given a tour of one of Wellington's most historic buildings.

The Lord Lieutenant of Somerset Mohammed Saddiq visited Tone Dale House, the former home of mill owner Thomas Fox, the founder of Fox Bros and Co.

Ben Fox, who runs the Big House Company, showed Mr Saddiq a display of Fox history during the visit, when the latter was accompanied by Clinton Rogers, a Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, and Cllr Andrew Govier.

Mr Fox said: "What a great honour to have a visit by Mohammed Saddiq to Tone Dale House.

"Over coffee and appropriate Duchy biscuits, he was shown a display of Fox family and textile memorabilia and later had a short tour around the house and grounds."

The Big House Company operates a holiday letting, venue hire agency and it includes the stunning, waterside Tone Dale House and four-acre grounds.

The house is among the portfolio of nine large houses for hire and The Big House Company, trading for over 25 years and Tone Dale House - also known as 'The House of Fox - has been a successful, award winning letting venue, since 1996.

Built in 1814, Tone Dale House was subdivided in the 1840s to accommodate three families in one house.

It later the became the Puttee House and Wool Rooms in the 1890s and further down the line it was the tailors' workshop and former Mill Shop.