The aircraft and defence industries which developed in the 20th century made it a target for bombing in the Second World War; they are still major employers.

Yeovil Country Park, which includes Ninesprings, is one of several open spaces with educational, cultural and sporting facilities.

[5] The south-west of England is in a favoured location for the Azores high pressure zone, when it extends north-eastwards towards the UK, particularly in summer.

[5] Archaeological surveys have yielded Palaeolithic burial and settlement sites mainly to the south of the modern town,[8] particularly in Hendford, where a Bronze Age golden torc (twisted collar) was found.

[17] After the Norman Conquest, the manor, later known as Hendford, was granted to the Count of Eu and his tenant Hugh Maltravers, whose descendants became Earls of Arundel and held the lordship until 1561.

[9] Babylon Hill across the River Yeo to the south east of the town was the site of a minor skirmish, the Battle of Babylon Hill, during the Civil War, which resulted in the Earl of Bedford's Roundheads forcing back Sir Ralph Hopton's Cavaliers to Sherborne.

The GWR itself opened Yeovil Pen Mill railway station on the east side of the town as part of its route from London on 1 September 1856, extended to Weymouth on 1 January 1857), and the original line from Taunton connected with this.

A new station at Yeovil Junction was provided south of the town from where passengers could catch a connecting service to Hendford.

On 1 June 1861 passenger trains were withdrawn from Hendford and transferred to a new, more central, Yeovil Town railway station.

[23] In the early 20th century Yeovil had around 11,000 inhabitants and was dominated by the defence industry, making it a target of German raids during World War II.

During that time 107 high-explosive bombs fell on the town, 49 people died, 68 houses were totally destroyed and 2,377 damaged.

[25] Industrial businesses developed around the Hendford railway goods station to such a degree that a small Hendford Halt was opened on 2 May 1932 for passengers, but the growth of road transport and a desire to rationalise the rail network led to half of the railway stations in Yeovil being closed in 1964.

Journalist John Harris, for instance, described the towns Taunton, Yeovil and Bridgwater as a "post-industrial, hardscrabble place that contain[s] 19 of the council wards in the 20% of English areas classed as the most deprived.

[32] Leonardo manufactures helicopters in Yeovil,[34] and Honeywell Aerospace, formerly Normalair Garratt, builder of aircraft oxygen systems, is also based there.

In January 1986 a proposed sale of Westland Helicopters to the US Sikorsky Aircraft group led to the Westland affair, a crisis in the Thatcher government, the resignation of Michael Heseltine as Secretary of State for Defence,[36] and two weeks later the resignation of Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Leon Brittan, who admitted leaking a governmental law officer's letter harshly critical of Heseltine.

[38] Yeovil Aerodrome (ICAO: EGHG), (sometimes known as Yeovil/Westland "Judwin" to avoid confusion with nearby RNAS Yeovilton), is 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) west of the town centre.

British defence giant BAE Systems also runs a site producing high-integrity networked software, mainly for the armed forces.

[42] In 2015, leather manufacturer Pittards bought back its 1964 purpose-built tannery in Sherborne Road, Yeovil.

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, including Yeovil Hospital, provides local health services.

Routes connect the town centre with both railway stations, Taunton, Blandford Forum, Castle Cary, Chard, Martock and Wells.

Junction 25 of the M5 motorway lies around 20 miles (32 km) to the west, near Taunton, giving access to Bristol and the Midlands.

[58] Secondary education in Yeovil is provided by four schools: Westfield Academy on Stiby Road; Preston School, with actress Sarah Parish among its past pupils; and Bucklers Mead Academy with past pupils including Ian Botham.

There are two-light late 14th-century windows on all sides at bell-ringing and bell-chamber levels, the latter having fine pierced stonework grilles.

was founded in 1990 and won promotion to England's highest tier, the FA Women's Super League, in 2016, before merging with Bridgwater United W.F.C.

[65] Other football teams in the town include Westland's Sports F.C., which plays at Alvington Lane, and Pen Mill Athletic.

[72] In late July 2007, South Somerset District Council plans were made public by the Western Gazette to build a £21-million Yeovil Sports Zone on Yeovil Recreation Ground,[73] which has been a popular open green space with the local community for over 70 years.

[76] The recreation space known as Mudford Rec was frequented by England cricket star Ian Botham during a childhood stay in Yeovil.

[77] Another regeneration project would have meant demolishing Foundry House, a former glove factory, but a local campaign led to this becoming a listed building.

[80] The Lifemanship Association, a fictional organization purportedly doing academic research on ways to "win at games and life without actually cheating", was located by author Stephen Potter at 681 Station Road, Yeovil.

[90] England Women's Rugby World Cup winner 2014 and freedom of the town holder Marlie Packer is from Yeovil.