History of Agricultural Education in Wiltshire - Lackham Countryside ...

CHAPTER III
LACKHAM HOUSE AND ESTATE 1000-1970
It is interesting to find that a huge Agricultural Estate stretching from
Chippenham to Lacock and a Manor existed at Lackham several hundred years
before Lacock Abbey, founded by Ela, the Countess of Salisbury, in 1232.
A fine old Manor House is mentioned in Wilts "Notes and Queries‖ March 1899
dating at least from medieval times, for many ages, the residence sucessively of
the Bluet, Baynard and Montagu families. Unfortunately James Montagu V had
the ancient and historic house demolished between 1791—96 and had built in its
place a Georgian house with a debased classical front, described by Britton in
"Beauties of Wilts" Volume III, page 246, 1825 "as a plain edifice situated in a
rich fertile vale near the banks of the river Avon". Since then, many alterations
have been made and it is now the Headquarters of the Lackham College of
Agriculture,
The destruction of the ancient Manor House was a sad blow to the County of
Wiltshire: one of its gems gone forever.
The earliest sketch of the Manor appears in Dingley's "History from Marble"
compiled in the reign of Charles II, 1867-8. The sketch was taken at the close
of the reign of Charles II in 1684. It represents the house as an irregular
structure, evidently of different dates (Norman in places), enclosed in a large
courtyard and completely embosomed in woods. The River Avon close by formed
the ancient boundary of the Royal forest of Pewsham, in which the Lords of
Lackham enjoyed the right of hunting by grant from Edward III, which grant
continued in force until the disafforestation of Pewsham in the reign of James
I.
A second sketch illustrates drawings by Grimm of the central portion of the
building, taken August 1790. The porch forms a principal feature. A shield on
the gable is apparently carved with the Arms of Bluet and Baynard and another
shield at the base of the projecting window over the entrance bears Baynard
quartering Bluet with two unicorns as supporters.
The Great Hall was to the left on entering the porch.
According to Aubrey, writing in 1670, the great Gothic halls were kept for dining
and entertaining.