Chard is a town and a civil parish in the English county of Somerset. It lies on the A30 road close to the Devon border, 15 miles (24 km) south west of Yeovil. The parish features a population of around 13000 and, at an elevation of 121 metres (397 ft), Chard is the southernmost and highest town in Somerset. Administratively Chard comprises part of the district of South Somerset. The name of the town was Cerden in 1065 and Cerdre in the Domesday Book of 1086. After the Norman Conquest, Chard was held by the Bishop of Wells. The town's initial charter was from King John in 1234. Chard is most famously referred to as the birthplace of powered flight, as in 1848, John Stringfellow first indicated that engine-powered flight was achievable. Percy and Ernist Petter, who formed Westland Aircraft Works, witnessed a few of Stringfellow's demonstrations in Chard and frequently asked for help in the formation of Westland's initial aircraft development factory on the outskirts of Yeovil. Agusta Westland now holds the Henson and Stringfellow lecture yearly for the RAeS. Chard Reservoir, around a mile north east of the town, is a Local Nature Reserve, and Snowdon Hill Quarry a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest. Major employers within the town include Numatic International Limited plus the Oscar Mayer food processing plant. You'll find a range of sporting and cultural facilities, with secondary education being delivered at Holyrood Academy. Religious sites include the Church of St Mary the Virgin which dates from the late 11th century. For all of your home upgrades, be certain that you employ trustworthy pros in Chard to make sure that you get the most effective quality.