Cheddar is a huge village and also civil parish in the Sedgemoor district of the English area of Somerset. It is situated on the southerly edge of the Mendip Hills, 9 miles (14 km) north-west of Wells. The civil parish consists of the communities of Nyland and also Bradley Cross. The parish had a population of 5,755 in 2011 and also a property of 8,592 acres (3,477 ha) since 1961. Cheddar Gorge, on the northern side of the village, is the biggest gorge in the United Kingdom and also includes numerous program caves, including Gough's Cave. The gorge has actually been a centre of human negotiation considering that Neolithic times including a Saxon royal residence. It has a temperate environment as well as gives an unique geological and organic setting that has been acknowledged by the designation of a number of Sites of Special Scientific Interest. It is also the site of several limestone quarries. The village gave its name to Cheddar cheese as well as has actually been a centre for strawberry growing. The plant was formerly transferred on the Cheddar Valley railway, which enclosed the late 1960s but is currently a cycle path. The town is currently a major tourist location with several social as well as area facilities, consisting of the Cheddar Show Caves Museum. The town supports a variety of community teams consisting of religious, showing off and social organisations. Several of these are based on the site of The Kings of Wessex Academy, which is the largest instructional facility.