Corsham

About

From starring on the small screen in Poldark to exotic peacocks and acres of picturesque countryside to explore, Corsham is a hidden gem.

Quintessentially English - historic buildings and acres of beautiful countryside on the doorstep. Slightly exotic - flamboyant, and loud, peacocks regally wander the streets. And a starring role as an historic Cornish town - Ross Poldark brooded his way around here for the hit BBC series... The Wiltshire market town of Corsham is something of a hidden treasure. It’s also one of the Top 10 places to live in the South West, according to a recent Sunday Times’ annual poll. 

Just 20 minutes from Bath, Corsham sits on the edge of the Cotswolds. Its history is linked to wool and stone: the wool from the Flemish weavers who based themselves in the town; the stone from the famous Bath Stone, quarried locally and used in many of the town’s buildings. 
Of those buildings, Nikolaus Pevsner, the architectural historian, once wrote, “Corsham has no match in Wiltshire for wealth of good houses”, and a star among them is Corsham Court (www.corsham-court.co.uk) – a Saxon royal manor house and home to a collection of celebrated paintings housed in a picture gallery designed by Capability Brown, who also landscaped the gardens. The glorious parkland that surrounds the Court is perfect for a frosty winter walk.

A short tree-lined stroll from Corsham Court takes you towards more contemporary art at The Pound, Corsham’s gallery, theatre, cinema and cafe bar (poundarts.org.uk), with a great programme of events coming up for the coming months. Or you can head off for some retail therapy: Corsham has a great range of award-winning independent shops offering everything from collectible comics to vintage wares, locally made edible treats to eclectic and unique gifts. You’ll also find great places to warm up in front of a roaring fire as you stop for a drink and something to eat – try The Flemish Weaver (flemishweaver.co.uk), at one end of the historic High Street or the award-winning Methuen Arms (methuenarms.com) at the other. For a quick coffee while you mooch around town, why not try No.3 The Deli or Woody’s, both on the historic High Street, or Grounded in the Chapel Garden.

Corsham's High Street is also a real-life film set, having featured in BBC One's Poldark and, more recently, the Disney+ adaptation of Jilly Cooper's Rivals - and it's where you'll find the town's nosiest residents, the free-roaming peacocks.

Come and discover Corsham for yourself this winter. Take a look at visit-corsham.co.uk or Corsham Town Council’s Facebook page for the latest news on events and activities in the town.

Find out What's On in Corsham!

visit-corsham.co.uk