Chipping Sodbury

Yate is mentioned in the Domesday Book and dates back to at least the 8th century; the name comes from the Old English word giete or gete, which means ‘a gateway into a forest area’. However, the two things that made the town what it is today were the opening of Yate railway station in 1844 and development into a commuter town for Bristol in the 1960s. Yate grew to almost absorb the neighbouring town of Chipping Sodbury. It is one of the larger towns in the area and a shopping destination for locals.

The name Chipping Sodbury comes from Old English: Sodbury means "Soppa's fort", Chipping indicates that a market was held there. The town was started when local land owner William Crassus decided to hold markets separately to his estate in Old Sodbury. The market became the nucleus of Chipping Sodbury and markets are still held. In the Elizabethan era, it becoming a popular stop for the new era of coaches, and many inns sprang up, some of which are still in service as pubs. Due to the rapid expansion of neighbouring town Yate, which is now contiguous with Chipping Sodbury, the two are often referenced as a single unit. Chipping Sodbury has retained a village-like quality compared to its more modern neighbour.

By car:

Take the M5 junction 16 or 14, then the B4509 to Iron Acton, then turn left to get to Yate. Around 20 minutes drive from the motorway network, M4 Junction 18 and M32 Junction 1 are the usual motorway links.

By bus:

There are plenty of bus services in the area, mostly run by First Bus.

By train:

Wikivoyage has a guide to Rail travel in Great Britain

1 Yate station is on the Birmingham to Bristol line with connections to Gloucester.