Each hundred had a "fyrd" (the local defence force) and a court which maintained the frankpledge system.
[3] The role of the hundred court was described in the Dooms (laws) of King Edgar.
[4] The Hundred of Chewton consisted of the ancient parishes of: Brockley, Cameley, Chewton Mendip, Chilcompton, Compton Martin, Emborough, Farrington Gurney, West Harptree, Hinton Blewett, Kingston Seymour, High Littleton, Midsomer Norton, Paulton, Ston Easton, and Ubley.
By the 19th century several different single-purpose subdivisions of counties, such as poor law unions, sanitary districts and highway districts, sprang up, filling the administrative role previously played by parishes and hundreds.
Although the hundreds have never been formally abolished, their functions ended with the establishment of county courts in 1867[7] and the introduction of districts by the Local Government Act 1894.