Place:Corsham, Wiltshire, England

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source: Family History Library Catalog

the text in this section is based on an article in Wikipedia

Corsham is a historic market town and civil parish in the west of Wiltshire, England. It is at the southwestern edge of the Cotswolds, just off the A4 national route, which was formerly the main turnpike road from London to Bristol, 28 miles (45 km) southwest of Swindon, 20 miles (32 km) southeast of Bristol, 8 miles (13 km) northeast of Bath and 4 miles (6 km) southwest of Chippenham. Corsham is close to the county borders with Bath and North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire. It had an estimated 21st century population of 13,000.

Corsham was historically a centre for agriculture and later, the wool industry, and remains a focus for quarrying Bath Stone. It contains several notable historic buildings, such as the stately home of Corsham Court. During the Second World War and the Cold War, it became a major administrative and manufacturing centre for the Ministry of Defence, with numerous establishments both above ground and in the old quarry tunnels. The early 21st century saw growth in Corsham's role in the film industry.

The parish includes the villages of Gastard and Neston, which is at the gates of the Neston Park estate, and a number of other settlements: Pickwick, Middlewick, Upper Pickwick and Cross Keys.

Settlements now within Corsham's built-up area are Hudswell, Leafield, Westwells and part of Rudloe. In the east of the parish are Neston, Thingley and Westrop, and in the southeast Chapel Knapp, Gastard, Monk's Park, The Linleys and The Ridge.

For more information, see the EN Wikipedia article Corsham.

Research tips

Corsham, Wiltshire in A Vision of Britain Through Time