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Programme 2024
Click here for details
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| Thu 16th May 2024
Further display of our local Artefacts & Social Evening
(7pm – 9pm) |
| Thu 20th June 2024
Town Walk led by Paul Carter
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| Thu 18th July 2024
Proposed Coach to Tiverton with Horse Drawn Barge Trip
Limited to 50, so Members have priority. Please book your tickets from February |
| Thu 26th September 2024
An evening remembering The Avon Rubber Company in Melksham
(note 4th Thursday) |
| Thu 17th October 2024
Atworth – The Romans to the 3rd Millennium
Presented by Gervase O’Donohoe |
| Thu 21st November 2024
AGM & Social Evening
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Recent Events
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| Thu 18th April 2024
Working for the Melksham Urban District Council
Presented by Gill Butler
more details... |
| Thu 21st March 2024
Jobs for Women
Presented by Dr Fiona Basket
more details... |
| Thu 22nd February 2024
Architectural Follies of Wiltshire
Presented by Jonathan Holt
(note 4th Thursday)
more details... |
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Corsham 17thC Schoolroom & Almshouses - Wed 17th June 2015
An afternoon visit to “Corsham 17thC Schoolroom & Almshouses”
(leaving Church St Car Park 1:45 pm) £2.50
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Report -
On Wednesday 17th June, our meeting was to The Lady Margaret Hungerford School & Almshouses in Corsham.
Lady Margaret, born in Gloucestershire in 1603, married Sir Edward Hungerford in1621 and lived at Corsham House - now Corsham Court.
Sir Edward was commander of Cromwells troops in Wiltshire. He died in 1648.
Lady Margaret was a wealthy woman in her own right having inherited from her father Alderman William Halliday, a London merchant.
Being a childless widow and a devoutly religious woman, she used some of her fortune for the benefit of the local poor and destitute. In 1665 she bought land to build 6 almshouses, a school masters house and a school room / chapel which was completed in1668. She selected the first school master and 6 women to be the first occupants of the almshouses. Their daily routine was dictated by 45 ordinances (rules.) Failure to obey could lead to fines and expulsion.
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Lady Margaret died in1672 and after her death a board of Trustees administered the school and almshouses. The school remained in use for 230 years. In 1990 the Trustees decided to renovate and restore the buildings and make them available to rent paying tenants. Restoration was completed in 2001 aided by the Heritage Lottery Capital Fund.
Now there are 12 tenants residing at the complex. Aged between 35 - 65 years, having no dependant children they are connected in some way with the town of Corsham.
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Access is available to the Schoolroom, Masters house, Exhibition Room, exterior of the buildings and the gardens.
A place well worth a visit. Our visit ended with a welcome tea and cake at the Methuen Arms.
Our next event is our Annual Outing on 16th July - a canal cruise from Bradford on Avon to Dundas.
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