Frome, the largest community in this seat, is a market town which once had a booming wool trade; as a result, it was much despised by a former parliamentarian, William Cobbett, as the "Manchester of the south". Today it acts as a small commercial centre for the surrounding area and tourists.
Aside from agriculture, industries in the constituency include some high-tech defence-related industries and the quarrying of stone and road building materials. RNAS Yeovilton is in the constituency, a large multi-role air base which is home to the Royal Navy Sea Harriers, Support Helicopter Force and Commando Helicopter Force.
This was a tight fight in 1997, with the votes having to be counted three times before a Liberal Democrat victory was declared.