Dunster Authority, which is known as a 'single-purpose' authority, whose purpose is to "conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the National Parks" and "promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the Parks by the public", including responsibility for the conservation of the historic environment. Dunster is the most populous area of the electoral ward named 'Dunster and Timbercombe'. The ward extends North East to the Bristol Channel and South West to Timberscombe. The total population at the 2011 Census was 1,219. It is also part of the Bridgwater and West Somerset
Dunster Castle a keen historian, decided to follow this trend at Dunster; in the process, he also hoped to accommodate the larger household and facilities required for a 19th-century landowner: by 1881, the castle required 15 "living-in" servants alone. He employed Anthony Salvin, a noted architect then most famous for his work at Alnwick Castle, to carry out the work between 1868 and 1872 at a total cost of £25,350 (equivalent to £1.76 million in 2010). The work included the construction of an underground reservoir, holding of water to provide running water for the castle and village. Salvin aimed to create a