| Summary : After the Conquest, William I granted the church to the possession of the Abbey of St Stephen at Caen. It was transferred to the possession of Abbey of Marmoutier, as an alien cell of Benedictine Monks, in the reign of Henry II, and dissolved in 1294. Until the end of the 14th century it was administered by the Cluniac Priory of Tickhill on behalf of Marmoutier Abbey. It was granted to King's College, Cambridge in the reign of Henry VI. As restored, the church has 12th century origins, although Brakspear believes that the arcades stand on the line of an earlier Saxon nave which itself shows two phases of development. He also stated that the former central tower showed signs of Saxon work at the base. The North aisle was added in the early 14th century, the South aisle in the later 14th century. The East end was remodelled in the 15th century. It was restored by G E Street in 1875-8 when the central tower was removed and the South tower built. The chancel was restored at the same time by C F Hansom. There is limited evidence, notably that the church was endowed with 2.5 hides at the Conquest, that Corsham had a late Saxon minster. |