In Saxon times Chiselborough was called Ceoselbergon. In the Domesday book of 1086 it was spelt Ceolseberge, held by Alvred, a tenant of the Count of Mortaine, and was listed as having a mill, 38 acres of meadow and 3 of scrubland, 5 ploughs, “ two riding horses and ten beasts and four swine and twenty four sheep”.

It became prosperous thanks to its location—sheep on its luscious hillside, water from springs and streams—Ham Stone and Chiselborough Hill Stone as a local building material, and glove making from as early as the 13th century. By the 17th century Somerset was the third most densely populated county in England and the south of the county was the most densely populated part.

Chiselborough was one of 91 places in Somerset that held fairs. In Chiselborough this was an annual event held on St Luke’s Day in October, founded in 1257 and continued until 1894, and held around the area now known as the Common. Legend has it that one year the men of Hinton St George were making merry at the fair. When they did not return home, their wives made 'punkies', that is candle lanterns made from hollowed-out mangolds with strange faces cut in them, and came looking for them. The men were terrified, and fled home, much to their wives' amusement. A Punky Night continues to be held in Chiselborough at the end of October, when children make mangold lanterns and prizes are awarded for the best ones.

When Collinson’s History and Antiquities of the County of Somerset was published in 1792, the majority of Chiselborough was in the possession of the Earls of Ilchester, and this continued until 1914, when most of the village was divided into lots and sold at the Manor Hotel, Yeovil on June 19.

The parish church is dedicated to St Peter and St Paul, and has a low central tower between the nave and the chancel. An octagonal spire was added in the 16th century, one of only a few in Somerset. Many additions have been made over the centuries, and the Victorian nave ceiling was replaced in 1980-81. There are five bells, the oldest dating back to the 14th century. Read more about Chiselborough Church bells here

We hope to add further historical articles to this section. There are many archival documents relating to Chiselborough history, and to bring these to digital life on the webpage, we need volunteers with an interest in history and basic typing and redaction skills, to convert them to digital format. If you’d like to help a little in this fascinating work, please contact Tony Perry or Sara Morley.