by admin | Apr 8, 2020 | People & Places
Reginald Younghusband was born in Bath in 1844, to Captain Thomas Younghusband and his wife Pascoa Baretto. His connection with Corsham is that – like Richard Bethel (Lord Westbury), he spent some of his informative years being educated in the town, but this time at...
by admin | Apr 8, 2020 | People & Places
The Thomas Tropnell of the 15th century owned Great Chalfield Manor, and many other pieces of land close to Corsham – including land at Gastard and at Monks. In the second half of the century he bought 150 acres of land to create Neston Park. Thomas died about 1490...
by admin | Apr 8, 2020 | People & Places
On the edge of a field by a dry stone wall on the Neston estate is an epitaph to John Hanning Speke. He was among the greatest British explorers of the Victorian era, whose greatest achievement was the discovery of the source of the White Nile – the holy grail of...
by admin | Apr 8, 2020 | People & Places
Every generation has its alcohol related problems. In Victorian/ Edwardian times temperance movements emerged with the enthusiasm of religious crusades. Organisations such as the ‘Recabites’ urged Corsham people to “sign the pledge” for a life committed to abstinence....
by admin | Apr 8, 2020 | People & Places
S.P. Kinnier (“Sep”) was born in Pickwick in 1871. A left-handed batsman, he played for Corsham during the ‘golden’ Spackman years, scoring 4919 runs and hitting five centuries. Septimus was the first of two Corsham born and trained cricketers who eventually played...
by admin | Apr 8, 2020 | People & Places
The Hungerford family owned Farleigh Hungerford Castle, on the borders of Wiltshire and Somerset, for some 300 years. Monuments at the castle show the family’s occupation from 1369. Their position at the Royal court fluctuated with each new monarch, as was the norm....
