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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
Cheddar shown within Somerset
Population 5,755 (2011)
OS grid reference ST458535
District
Shire county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town CHEDDAR
Postcode district BS27
Dialling code 01934
Police Avon and Somerset
Fire Devon and Somerset
Ambulance South Western
EU Parliament South West England
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Somerset
51°16′44″N 2°46′41″W / 51.279°N 2.778°W / 51.279; -2.778Coordinates: 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 Sedgemoor district of the English county of Somerset. It is situated on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills, 9 miles (14 km) north-west of Wells. The civil parish includes the hamlets of Nyland and Bradley Cross. The village, which has its own parish council, has a population of 5,755 and the parish has an acreage of 8,592 acres (3,477 ha) as of 1961.

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. It is also the site of several limestone quarries. The village gave its name to Cheddar cheese 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 but 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.

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.


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