The owners of Lackham in the Nineteenth and Twentieth centuries ...

The Manor of Lackham IV : 19 th & 20 th century owners
map produced for the sale of the outlying farms clearly shows it in the center
of the figure east of Lackham Wood.
Remnants of the bridge survived until 1954 when it was washed away by huge
floods.
The Avon Vale hunt [founded by Maj.Gen. Palmer] met at Lackham
every year from 1948-1970 on the last Saturday of the College
autumn term. They seldom killed after the bridge disappeared in
1954 - the old master Reynard took to the river and swam
downstream with the current for 100 yards or so and out on the
opposite side to find safe cover on Nash Hill 423
The estate was the site of Lackham College of Agriculture until the College
became independent after the Government changes to tertiary education in
1996. At the time of writing Lackham College was still in occupation but had
become the Lackham campus of Wiltshire College 424 . Internal alterations were
made to the house during the period 1950 –2000. During the construction of a
lift shaft the internal walls were breached and “clean, white, beautifully carved
stonework” was found filling the wall centers. This has been identified as being
medieval stone from the original house.
Lackham as an estate has been an identifiable entity for over a thousand years.
In that time it has been the home, the focal point, of many lives, all of whom
have both been affected by, and had an effect on, this ancient land. The four
volumes in this account 425 , limited though they are, hopefully give some idea of
the depth of time this estate has seen. A sense of continuity is very important;
423 Note in photo album, Wiltshire College Lackham Library. p 31
424 A multi campus College formed by the fusion of Trowbridge, Lackham and
Chippenham College’s in late 2000, enhanced by the inclusion of Salisbury College in
2002.
425 Pratt, T & Repko, K (2008) The Bluets: a baronial family and their historical
commotions 1066-1400; Pratt, T (2009) The Baynards of Lackham: a county family and
their historical connections 1360-1650; Pratt, T & Repko, K (2010) The Montagu family
of Lackham : their antecedents and historical connections 1440-1840 and the current
volume
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