Cheddar, Somerset

Cheddar
Roofs of multiple buildings separated by trees and vegetation. In the distance is a lake and hills.
Cheddar village, looking due west from the tower at Jacob's Ladder
Cheddar is located in Somerset
Cheddar
Cheddar
Location within Somerset
Population5,755 (2011)[1]
OS grid referenceST458535
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townCHEDDAR
Postcode districtBS27
Dialling code01934
PoliceAvon and Somerset
FireDevon and Somerset
AmbulanceSouth Western
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Somerset
51°16′44″N 2°46′41″W / 51.279°N 2.778°W / 51.279; -2.778

Cheddar is a large village and civil parish in the English county of Somerset. It is situated on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills, 9 miles (14 km) north-west of Wells, 11 miles (18 km) south-east of Weston-super-Mare and 18 miles (29 km) south-west of Bristol. The civil parish includes the hamlets of Nyland and Bradley Cross. The parish had a population of 5,755 in 2011 and an acreage of 8,592 acres (3,477 ha) as of 1961.[2]

Cheddar Gorge, on the northern edge of the village, is the largest gorge in the United Kingdom and includes several show caves, including Gough's Cave. The gorge has been a centre of human settlement since Neolithic times, including a Saxon palace. It has a temperate climate and provides a unique geological and biological environment that has been recognised by the designation of several Sites of Special Scientific Interest.[3] It is also the site of several limestone quarries. The village gave its name to Cheddar cheese[4] and has been a centre for strawberry growing. The crop was formerly transported on the Cheddar Valley rail line, which closed in the late 1960s and is now a cycle path. The village is now a major tourist destination with several cultural and community facilities, including the Cheddar Show Caves Museum.[5]

The village supports a variety of community groups including religious, sporting and cultural organisations. Several of these are based on the site of the Kings of Wessex Academy, which is the largest educational establishment.

  1. ^ "Statistics for Wards, LSOAs and Parishes — SUMMARY Profiles" (Excel). Somerset Intelligence. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
  2. ^ "Cheddar CP/AP through time acreage". A vision of Britain through time. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  3. ^ "Cheddar Gorge and Caves". Bristol-link. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2011.
  4. ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Cheddar" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 6 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 21.
  5. ^ "Plan your day". Cheddar Gorge and Caves. Retrieved 25 November 2018.