A Brief History of Melksham

by

Izzy Evans

Melksham is a market town in the county of Wiltshire in the south-west of England. Melksham is Wiltshire s fifth largest town in terms of population and has a population of around 23,000. More accurate information about population from the 2011 census is not yet available. It is close to the towns of Bradford-on-Avon and Devizes and is only a short drive away from the popular tourist location of Bath. Despite it only being a small town, Melksham has a long and varied history that many people in the Wiltshire area may not even be aware of.

Although no solid evidence has been found, it is believed that the name Melksham comes from the old English meolc for milk and ham for village which hints that it may have been home to early dairy farmers. In the Doomsday Book, Melksham is recorded as having 189 landowners and 35 serfs and was home to agriculture and the woollen cloth making industry. It also had 130 acres of water meadows and 8 mills. In the 16th century the Prioress and nuns of Amesbury were in possession of estates in Melksham but surrendered them to the king in 1539, likely as some part of the dissolution of the monasteries. A few years later in 1541 the land was awarded to Sir Thomas Seymour. For the next few centuries the estates and land were sold to different owners and were passed down through family lines.

Melksham s ties with the weaving and cloth making industries continued from the time of the Doomsday book well into the 18th century. Initially the main product that was produced was white broad cloth, but after a brief interruption as a result of the Civil war in the 17th century, production of colour cloth began. However, troubles surrounding the cloth industry began to arise in the 1720s and 1730s. The piece rate for cloth was reduced so much in 1726 that many workers could no longer earn a living. After their application for relief to the magistrates was refused, a number of workers began rioting but were soon dispersed by troops. Strife surrounding the cloth industry continued for over a decade. Events hit boiling point in 1739 and the house of Henry Coulthurst, a clothier from the area, was ransacked and a large amount of wool and yarn was thrown into the river Avon. A number of cottages and mills were also destroyed. Those involved were soon found, tried and hanged.

Melksham s history also has ties with the Spa town boom of the 19th century. The nearby city of Bath had, around this time, become a popular destination to take the waters and improve health complaints. A fruitless attempt in 1770 to find coal in the Melksham area resulted in the discovery of Chalybeate and Saline springs. By 1815 a group made up of respectable residents (including members of the Methuen, Awdry, Phillips and Long families) had formed with the goal of developing the town into a spa. The group, known as the Melksham Spa company had a capital of 7000 guineas and wanted to turn Melksham into a destination that would rival Bath. The plans of the company did progress to a certain extent, a well was sunk and a crescent of lodging houses, a pump room and hot and cold baths were built. The endeavour was ultimately unsuccessful as Melksham could not compete with the popularity of Bath although several of the lodging houses still stand today in an area known as The Spa .

It may be surprising to learn that Melksham was briefly home to Freemasonry. The mysterious organisation came to the area in 1817 after the Lodge of Westbury was relocated. The Freemasons held their first meeting in September at The King s Arms. The early 19th century, however, saw a great deal of opposition to the Freemasons, especially after the Unlawful Societies Act of 1799, and as a result the lodge was forced to move to a nearby village. It was 70 years before the Freemasons returned to Melksham. Under the Worshipful Master Richard Godolphin Walmesley Chaloner, who lived at Melksham House, the Chaloner Lodge in Melksham was consecrated in 1897.

The focus of industry in Melksham began to move away from cloth and weaving in the 19th century as a number of different industries started to grow. Charles Maggs bought an old cloth mill and began producing rope and tarpaulin. The business flourished and a subsidiary factory was built in Southern India. Although the business declined in the later part of the 20th century, the Rope Walk housing estate is named after it. Another successful Melksham industry was the company set up by Benjamin Sawtell in 1850. The company initially started filling paillasses with straw but moved on to the purification of feathers for pillows, cushions and eiderdowns. By the 1960s the firm had become one of the largest feather firms in the country, but declined when man-made fibres increased in popularity. In recent years, Melksham has become known for its rubber and tyre production.

&copy Izzy Evans 2013

Melksham is home to a variety of shops and businesses. Stone King are a legal firm in Melksham.

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