The college is named after Richard Huish, a Taunton wool merchant in the 17th century who invested in property in London.

He died in 1615 and his will included an endowment to establish almshouses in Taunton and support local people's university education.

Increased income from the properties in the nineteenth century allowed this to be expanded to create both boys and girls schools in Taunton.

Over the period 2000–2009, a variety of building projects resulted in;[3] In 2003, the Learning Centre, situated in the heart of the campus, which is named after the science-fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke, a former pupil of Huish's Grammar School, was extended and completely refurbished.

[4] In 2010, the Juniper Building was opened, providing facilities for students of Photography, Media and Film Studies, Music and Business.

The café area includes a Costa Coffee, the "Huish Kitchen" - offering both hot and cold food options - and a vending machine for drinks.

The main hall in the building was also renovated to create a theatre, providing both a space for lectures/guest speakers and a performance venue for students complete with stage lighting in order to give Music and Performing Arts students a professional place to rehearse and to showcase their pieces to an audience.

Another is the Maple Building, which provides a dedicated space for students of the Arts, ICT, Computing and Graphics at a cost of £3 million.

There is also the 'Active Huish' scheme which encourages students to take part in sports they previously would not have considered and also provides a more relaxed atmosphere in which to exercise.

There are several sports on offer, such as Yoga, Table Tennis, Boccia, 3v3 Basketball, Badminton and Volleyball, alongside the chance to take part in Self Defence courses.