The village is at the western end of King's Sedgemoor and lies on an 'island' of Burtle marine sands, close to King's Sedgemoor Drain. The area was settled possibly in the Mesolithic period, and timber trackways from the 3rd to 1st millennium B.C. provided routes to other settlements on the Somerset Levels. Roman artifacts have been found in the parish.[2][3]
The name of the village is pronounced "Chidgey" or "Chedzey",[4] and derives its name from being Cedd's Island.[5] The "zoy" part of the name being derived from eg or ieg meaning island.[6]
Governance
The parish council has responsibility for local issues, including setting an annual precept (local rate) to cover the council's operating costs and producing annual accounts for public scrutiny. The parish council evaluates local planning applications and works with the local police, district council officers, and neighbourhood watch groups on matters of crime, security, and traffic. The parish council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning. Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also the responsibility of the council.
^Ekwall, Eilert (1960). The concise dictionary of English place-names. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 99. ISBN0198691033.
^R W Dunning, C R Elrington (Editors), A P Baggs, M C Siraut (1992). "Chedzoy". A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 6: Andersfield, Cannington, and North Petherton Hundreds (Bridgwater and neighbouring parishes). Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 28 December 2012. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^"Bridgwater RD". A vision of Britain Through Time. University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
