 Cheddar Gorge , on the northern edge of the village , is the largest gorge in the United Kingdom and includes several show caves including Gough 's Cave . The gorge has been a centre of human settlement since Neolithic times including a Saxon palace . It has a temperate climate and provides a unique geological and biological environment that has been recognised by the designation of several Sites of Special Scientific Interest . It is also the site of several limestone quarries . The village gave its name to Cheddar cheese and has been a centre for strawberry growing . The crop was formerly transported on the Cheddar Valley rail line , which closed in the late 1960s but is now a cycle path . The village is now a major tourist destination with several cultural and community facilities , including the Cheddar Show Caves Museum . 
