location

About Melksham

Red Lion, Melksham

Melksham is a medium-sized English town, lying on the River Avon. It lies in the county of Wiltshire and is situated 12 miles southeast of the city of Bath and 7 miles south of Chippenham on the A350 national route. Melksham is Wiltshire’s fifth largest town by population after Swindon, Salisbury, Chippenham and Trowbridge and it is twinned with the town of Avon in France.

History

Melksham Spa Houses

• The town of Melksham developed at a ford across the River Avon and is thought to be derived from Meolc, old English for milk and ham.
• The town has its origins as a royal estate at the time of the Norman Conquest.
• Melksham benfitted from the wool trade producing large quantities of white broad cloth from the North Wiltshire/Cotswolds area.  This was sold via London markets to the whole of England and many places in Europe.  The weavers were not able to make a living so applied for relief.  This was refused and riots broke out with troops being called upon to break up the aggression. In one incident 9 cottages and a millers house were all destroyed.
• Melksham Bank was established here by the Awdry, Long and Bruges families and throughout its life had a chequered existence with many scare stories of bankrupcy.
• The same Long family, with new partners, tried to create Melksham as a spa town having found 2 springs. They built 6 large houses in a crescent format along with a pump room and hot and cold baths. With the historic spa town of Bath so close the project never really took off but the investors managed to enhance Melksham by paving the streets and ‘watching’ the town. 
• Nearby is the village of Lacock which is almost entirely owned by the National Trust.  Lacock is home to the medieval abbey used in many modern films.

Facts

Discover Melksham – links to town guides, what’s on and places to see

• http://www.melksham.org.uk
• http://www.melkshamtown.co.uk
• http://www.visit-melksham.com
• http://www.melkshampeople.co.uk
• http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-lacockabbeyvillage/
• http://www.british-towns.net/en/level_4_display.asp?GetL3=9286
• http://www.visitwiltshire.co.uk/
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/england/wiltshire/

Lacock Abbey, Melksham