Prices in the Somerset county town increased by £56,546 to £315,759, according to Halifax.

Newark in the East Midlands had the second-largest growth as values rose 20% in a year to £280,934.

Third was Rochdale in Greater Manchester with a £32,123 (18.5%) jump to £206,098.

Many of the places in the top 20 reflect the trend during the pandemic for people to look outside cities for homes with more space and better value.

Topping the list of the property "coldspots" is Westminster in London where average house prices fell 6.9% to £738,088.

Other London boroughs also suffered falls, including Hammersmith and Fulham, Islington, Croydon, and Bexley.

There are also five Scottish locations in the list of biggest losers, with Airdrie recording the second biggest percentage drop of 3.8% (£6,023) to £150,874.

Halifax managing director Russell Galley said this year's big winner, Taunton, had jumped in value due to "high quality of life and great transport links to major towns and cities across the South West".

"Like Taunton, many of the areas that saw the biggest house price growth over the last year enjoy a combination of greater affordability and space compared to nearby cities," he added.

Separate research from Nationwide Building Society said the average UK house had increased by nearly £24,000 in 2021, the biggest increase ever in cash terms.

The typical price reached £254,822 in December - a £23,902 increase.

Nationwide chief economist Robert Gardner said house prices had risen 10.4% in a year and were 16% above pre-pandemic levels of early 2020.

Wales saw the biggest rise of any of the UK nations or regions - with Nationwide recording a 15.8% year-on-year rise.

Halifax also put Wales as the biggest winner nationally, recording a 14% average rise to £231,134.

Top 20 house price hotspots

1. Taunton, South West, £315,759, £56,546, 21.8%

2. Newark, East Midlands, £280,934, £46,732, 20.0%

3. Rochdale, North West, £206,098, £32,123, 18.5%

4. Chippenham, South West, £381,181, £58,322, 18.1%

5. Braintree, South East, £356,216, £54,236, 18.0%

6. Widnes, North West, £222,876, £33,628, 17.8%

7. Motherwell, Scotland, £177,118, £26,103, 17.3%

8. Bolton, North West, £212,671, £30,818, 16.9%

9. Hereford, West Midlands, £306,872, £44,336, 16.9%

10. Walsall, West Midlands, £230,972, £31,614, 15.9%

11. Bradford, Yorkshire and the Humber, £170,684, £23,323, 15.8%

12. Swansea, Wales, £211,590, £28,360, 15.5%

13. Kettering, East Midlands, £285,103, £36,783, 14.8%

14. Maidstone, South East, £370,964, £47,756, 14.8%

15. Newton Abbot, South West, £326,623, £42,014, 14.8%

16. Spalding, East Midlands, £264,668, £33,703, 14.6%

17. Wirral, North West, £276,042, £34,936, 14.5%

18. Scunthorpe, Yorkshire and the Humber, £176,186, £21,986, 14.3%

19. Doncaster, Yorkshire and the Humber, £201,824, £25,096, 14.2%

20. Hamilton, Scotland, £159,176, £19,225, 13.7%

Top 20 house price coldspots

1. Westminster, London, £738,088, minus £54,809, minus 6.9%

2. Airdrie, Scotland, £150,874, minus £6,023, minus 3.8%

3. Hammersmith and Fulham, London, £716,541, minus £24,525, minus 3.3%

4. Coatbridge, Scotland, £145,880, minus £3,435, minus 2.3%

5. Islington, London, £716,554, minus £11,368, minus 1.6%

6. Kirkcaldy, Scotland, £157,663, £1,774, 1.1%

7. Oxford, South East, £482,893, £5,808, 1.2%

8. Croydon, London, £436,441, £6,502, 1.5%

9. Inverness, Scotland, £198,672, £3,137, 1.6%

10. Cambridge, East Anglia, £473,790, £8,600, 1.8%

11. Dartford, South East, £353,714, £6,616, 1.9%

12. Gravesend, South East, £356,196, £8,830, 2.5%

13. Stockton-on-Tees, North East, £190,736, £4,739, 2.5%

14. Waltham Cross, South East, £414,071, £10,863, 2.7%

15. Glenrothes, Scotland, £151,945, £4,695, 3.2%

16. Bexley, London, £416,390, £14,444, 3.6%

17. Waltham Forest, London, £530,176, £20,733, 4.1%

18. Havering, London, £428,012, £16,927, 4.1%

19. Sutton, London, £481,265, £19,529, 4.2%

20. Rochester, South East, £325,974, £13,499, 4.3%