[2] According to Robinson there are two entries in the 1086 Domesday Book: Cellwert and Celeworde both indicating the same meaning, "the hill farm" from the Old English ceol and wor.

Both sides along with Breach were originally owned by the Earl of Warwick's estate, but East Chelwood passed to the Popham family of the nearby Hunstrete House, where it remained into the early 20th century.

The parish council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, such as the village hall or community centre, playing fields and playgrounds, as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning.

Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also of interest to the council.

[6] The parish is represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom as part of North East Somerset and Hanham.

Of these 72% of residents describing their health as "good", 22% of 16- to 74-year-olds had no qualifications; and the area had an unemployment rate of 2.2% of all economically active people aged 16–74.

[8] Chelwood includes several other Grade II listed buildings: St Leonard's church was nearly all built around 1850, but two corbel-heads of the nave arcade are said to be 13th-century.