Melksham House

Coordinates: 51°22′16″N 2°08′20″W / 51.371°N 2.139°W / 51.371; -2.139 Melksham House is a Grade II listed country house situated in Market Place, Melksham, Wiltshire.[1]

The house was built between the 17th and early 18th century, although records have shown a building on this site since about 1608. In 1699 Richard Coxeter sold the property to Sir Walter Long, 2nd Baronet of Whaddon, after which time various replacements and extensions were added over the years, continuing in the Long family.

Throughout the 19th century the house had a succession of owners. In 1920 the house and surrounding 25 acres (100,000 m2) was in the ownership of the Avon Rubber Company, purchased for use as the company club and sports centre for the "social welfare of their employees". The formal opening of the club took place on 11 December 1920, but just days later a fire broke out destroying much of the house, and all that could be salvaged was the façade which has remained intact to this day. The damaged part of the house was rebuilt in a manner more suited to a sports club.

On the west side of the house is the former tithe barn which was converted into a schoolroom in 1878 by G.E. Street, and continued to be used for that purpose until 1974.

In 1997 Avon Rubber sold its tyre interest to Cooper Tire & Rubber Company of Findlay, Ohio, USA, and included in this sale was Avon's 35-acre (140,000 m2) manufacturing site in Melksham and the Avon Sports & Social Club (Melksham House).

References

  1. ↑ "Melksham House". Images of England. Retrieved 2007-05-19.
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