Mentioned in Domesday Book (1086) as Givele possibly meaning 'The river noble' from the Old English ea and aerel. The place-name is derived from the river name.
Yeovil - the major town of South Somerset - boasts a fascinating history, the best shopping centre in a very wide area and enough attractions to fill several days of a holiday. Its modern pedestrian shopping precinct recalls the town's Roman roots in its name, the Quedam, while housing many national retailers. The town centre also has a major department store, countless specialist shops and outdoor markets on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Yeovil used to have a thriving livestock market which was a constant reminder that, despite its business parks and modern industries, Yeovil is a country town at heart. Beautiful, accessible countryside stretches all along its southern rim and beyond, with footpaths to walk and sights to see.
The Middle Street area is now fully pedestrianised and a bandstand has been erected. It is also now the location of Yeovil's outdoor markets mentioned earlier.
The market place seen here in the bottom picture is known as 'The Borough' as it was the heart of the old medieval borough. The Town Hall (opened in 1849) can be seen in the background, the building was subsequently destroyed in 1935 by fire. The area now houses the war memorial. The photograph was taken c.1914.