Mentioned in Domesday Book (1086) as Chintone meaning 'the noble's enclosure' from the Old English cyne and tun. The suffix was acquired later when it was held by Stephen de Mandeville circa 1243.
Keinton Mandeville lies on the old turnpike road from Somerton to Castle Cary. Until recently the village was famous for the quarrying of its blue lias stone used throughout the county for decoration and building. The large stone slabs called 'shields', some seven feet high, are still to be seen in and around the village. The stone was formerly worked by hand and transported to Castle Cary station by horse-drawn waggons. In the 1860's one of the quarries had a railway with both sleepers and rails cut from blue lias stone!
The church of St Mary Magdalen, in the south of the village,has a 13th Century chancel. The church was partly rebuilt in 1800. There is a simple Norman font.
The village's most famous son, John Henry Brodribb, was born here in 1838. He later became Sir Henry Irving, the greatest actor of his time.
The University of London is carrying out research on the Village. The current draft can found at the following link: VCH Somerset
A map of the village circa 1900 can be found on the link: Map
