Village History

 

Chilton Polden is one of a string of villages along the northern slope of the Polden Hills in Somerset. It  lies a mile north of the A39 approximately 5 miles east of Bridgwater and 8 miles west of Street. The M5 (4 miles away) makes it a good base for commuters to Taunton or Bristol. The village faces north across the Somerset Levels towards the Mendip Hills and north-west towards the Bristol Channel.

Chilton Polden has an old English/Saxon name, (it is referred to in the Domesday Survey as "Ceptone"). However, a settlement was here in earlier times. The A39 was originally a Roman troop road built by local British slave labour. In 1996 remains, identified as Roman in origin, were uncovered in Chilton Polden. 
The village is surrounded by farmland which is mainly used for cattle.  The main built area of the village is between 25 and 35 metres above sea level.  During the first half of the 20th century there was a good balance between agricultural and industrial activities in the village. The chief crops were wheat, barley, oats and beans and there were many orchards. Grassland in the northern half of the village supported dairying. Industrial activities in the village included wheelwrights, blacksmiths, a cooper, a shoemaker, a thatcher, a carpenter and several stonemasons as well as a creamery. There was also a coal yard and a butcher, a baker, a tailor and a doctor.

 

Chilton Polden's population grew rapidly in the 1960's with the need for new housing in the district. Despite the growth of the village, local services declined. Some farms remain and other current businesses include two public houses, a monumental mason, a gift and toy wholesaler and some farms.