By Tim Lambert
Early Corsham
The town of Corsham in Wiltshire began as an Anglo-Saxon settlement. Its name was probably originally Cossa’s ham, meaning Cossa’s village. At the time of the Domesday Book in 1086 it probably had a population of about 350. By the standards of the time it was quite a large community.
In the Middle Ages Corsham prospered on the wool industry. However, it later declined. Fortunately for centuries Corsham was known for quarrying Bath stone, which was valued for building. Corsham was also a small market town.
In 1582 Thomas Smythe built a manor house, Corsham Court. The Corsham Almshouses were founded by Lady Hungerford in 1668. During the 18th century Corsham was a small but flourishing community and its known for its many buildings from that time. A Market Hall was built in 1784.
By the early 17th century there was an inn called the Red Lion in Corsham. In 1799 it was renamed the Methuen Arms.
Modern Corsham
At the time of the first census in 1801 Corsham had a population of 2,402. By the standards of the time it was a small town. By 1931 it still only had a population of less than 3,800.
There were some improvements in the town during the 19th century. The railway arrived in Corsham in 1841. However Corsham Railway Station closed in 1965. In 1882 another storey was added to the Market Hall and it became Corsham Town Hall. There has been a church in Corsham since Saxon Times. However, the Church of St Bartholomew was restored in 1875-78. Corsham waterworks opened in 1889.
During the early 20th century the old Bath stone industry declined but Corsham continued to thrive. Corsham War Memorial was built in 1921. The first public library opened in 1926.
During the late 20th century Corsham grew more rapidly and by 1971 it was over 10,000. The Pound Arts Centre opened in 2000. The Martingate Centre opened in 2004. Today the population of Corsham is 14,000.
