All about our village
The Canal
In October 1809 it was decided to build a canal to join the Bristol Channel and the English Channel. This was designed to save the long and often dangerous haul by sea around Land's End and was to run from the River Parrett at Bridgwater to Beer.The Taunton to Chard section passed just west of Ilton.
Before the whole canal could be completed the project clashed with the planned railway between Taunton and Chard. The Taunton to Chard section of the canel opened in 1842, but never paid its way and eventually closed in 1866.
The remains of the abandoned canal can be seen just off Merrifield Lane and runs nothwards near to the Airfield boundary. Back to top
The Airfield
Construction of the airfield began in December 1942 as a bomber base for the United States Air Force and was completed in February 1944. It was initially a base for Dakota aircraft and Hadrian gliders which took part in the D-Day landings. The USAF left the airfield in November 1944 and it was handed over to the RAF.In January 1945 two Dakota squadrons arrived to train prior to taking part in the war with the Japanese. In October 1946 the airfield was closed.
The airfield reopened again between 1951 and 1956 when it was used again by the RAF, training pilots using Vampire and Meteor jet aircraft.
It was rebuilt in 1966 and has since been used by the Royal Navy as a site for Helicopter training controlled from RNAS Yeovilton. Back to top
The Railway
The Taunton to Chard railway ran through Ilton and was opened in 1866. It was run by the Bristol and ExeterRailway Company. In 1876 it was taken over by The Great Western Railway.(GWR).The five passenger trains in each direction took 40-45 mins for the 15 1/4 mile journey between Chard and Taunton, stopping at Ilminster, Ilton Halt, Hatch and Thornfalcon.
The line was closed in September 1962 and the rails taken up two years later. Ilton Halt was removed in 1979 and was reconstucted at Cranmore on the East Somerset Railway.
Many of the bridges have now been demolised and much of the track bed has been absorbed into adjacent farmland. The old wartime pillboxes can still be seen along the route of the railway and are now protected monuments. Back to top