Pictures of Chew Magna

About Chew Magna

The charming village of Chew Magna is set in beautiful countryside just a few short miles from Bristol and is close to the charms of Chew Valley lake and Blagdon lake, that both provide excellent fishing for local and visiting fishermen.

This is the place of which King Henry VIII's antiquary, John Leland commented in 1545, 'It is a praty clothing towne, and hath a faire chirch' and indeed this is still true of Chew Magna. It is a town that has prospered from wool money, in Medieval times the town was at the centre of the wool trade and there are many reminders of this prosperous era. Many beautiful buildings exist through the generousity of the rich wool merchants who made their homes in this enchanting little towne.

Of the noted buildings in the town, the Church Ale House dates 16th-century, and The Beeches is a Georgian House, built in 1762 by a local schoolmaster who had an earlier house on the corner of Battle Lane. This property was Potugal House which had Dutch Gables. Harford House stands in Harford Square, it was built in the 19th-century by James Harford, an ironmaster. Other noted properties are; The Pelican Inn, dated 18th-century and the Bear and Swan, dated 19th-century. Church House is a superb building of the 16th-century and is but one of many other attractive buildings dotted around the town.

The church of St.Andrew dates from medieval times, it does though, have a Norman south doorway which is covered by a 14th-century porch. The church is a glorious historical treasure chest, it has an elaborate beauty that is a constant source of fascination. The exterior is overwhelming and Gargoyles peer down from the tower that soars to 100ft high, it was added between 1440 and 1550.

As you can see there is much that is ancient about Chew Magna and fortunately it blends well with the Chew Magna of today which remains a prosperous town with many delightful new buildings and modern day facilities. It is close to the delights of the great City of Bristol, that offers visitors a wide cultural experience and it is in the heart of magnificent undulaing rolling countryside.
In Chew Magna, you have the best of both worlds, it is therefore unsurprising that in those far off day's, King Henry's noble atiquary, confirmed it to be a 'Praty Towne' for indeed it is.