The name of the village means Lufa's pen or fold. A Roman mosaic, probably from a Roman villa, was found in the village in 2001. The Lopen Roman Mosaic was discovered by George Caton who was operating a mechanical digger and noticed small cubes of coloured stone, which turned out to be part of the floor of an eight-roomed Roman Villa and is the largest Roman Mosaic so far discovered in Britain. Photogrammetry by English Heritage was followed by excavation led by the Somerset County Council archaeologist exposed and documented the mosaic in three weeks. It was then covered with sand and soil to preserve it. The work was recognised with the award of the Tarmac Finders Award at the British Archaeological Awards in 2002. The stones used for the mosaic are Blue Lias from the surrounding hills. The fragments which were discovered in the surrounding soil were used to create a new mosaic, featuring a cantharus, using methods which would have been available in Roman times. It is now displayed in All Saints Church. Lopen is listed in the Domesday Book, with three manors, one of which was held by the Knights Templar. These were bought by the Poulett's of Hinton St George in 1560s. The parish of Lopen was part of the South PethertonHundred. In the 18th century the parish was noted for flax growing and for the production of linen sailcloth and twine. These industries continuing until the end of World War II. A mill had first been recorded in the parish around 1285. The mill was a water/grist mill until the mid 18th, then becoming jointly used as a grain mill and for linen production.
The parish of Lopen is bounded to the north by the A303Trunk Road and to the south by Lopen Brook with the road from South Petherton to Merriott, Crewkerne and the south coast running through the middle. Between Lopenhead and Lopen the road crosses the ancient Roman Fosse Way, which at this point is just a minor country lane. The main retail outlets in the parish are the pub and an organic food shop at Lopen Head, but although they are in the parish they are not really in the village itself which is located half a mile to the south. Furthermore, the road from Lopenhead to Lopen descends steeply through a deep and twisty cutting with no pedestrian pavement, consequently these outlets cannot safely be reached on foot from the village. Recently a Farm shop had opened at Osborne's on the Merriott Road just south of the village centre selling fruit and vegetables.
Religious sites
The Anglican parish Church of All Saints has 12th- or 13th-century origins, but was largely rebuilt in the 14th and 15th centuries with the north transept being added in 1833. As Lopen chapel it was granted to Bruton Priory in 1209 becoming dependent on South Petherton church, later passing to Bristol Cathedral and obtaining burial rights in 1574.
Culture
is celebrated in the village of Hinton St George each October.
