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Programme 2024

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Thu 21st November 2024
AGM & Social Evening

 
Recent Events

Thu 17th October 2024
Atworth – The Romans to the 3rd Millennium
Presented by Gervase O’Donohoe
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Thu 26th September 2024
An evening remembering The Avon Rubber Company in Melksham
(note 4th Thursday)
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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
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An evening visit to Edington Priory - Wed 20th May 2015
Guided tour given by Michael Jones
(leaving Church St Car Park at 6:30pm) £2.50


Report -

Melksham and District Historical Association

On Wednesday 20th May the Association had an evening visit to Edington Priory and enjoyed a guided tour given by Mr Michael Jones. The Priory was founded by William Edington, the Bishop of Winchester, in his home village of Edington. The Priory Church was built between 1352 and 1361. The Friends of Edington Church and Edington Music Festival were set up to raise funds for continued maintenance of the Priory.

The Priory, originally a college for priests, later became a monastery for Augustinian canons. There are claims that it was granted by Edward the Black Prince to the Brothers of Penitence. William Ayscough , the Bishop of Salisbury and confessor to Henry VI was forced to flee Salisbury during Jack Cades rebellion in 1450. Seeking refuge in the Priory he was discovered on 29th June, dragged from the High Altar and murdered in the fields outside the Priory.

Several local notables are buried there, including tombs removed from St Giles Church at Imber during the 1950’s following the evacuation of the village in 1943.

Our next visit is in the afternoon of Wednesday 17th June when we will visit the Corsham 17th century Schoolroom and Almshouses
Visitors welcome. We will leave Church Street Car Park at 1.45pm and there is a charge of £2.50.

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