BROMHAM, a parish in the hundred of POTTERNE-and-CANNINGS,
county of WILTS, 4 miles (N. W.) from
Devizes, containing 1357 inhabitants. The living is a
rectory, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Salisbury,
rated in the king's books at £12. 16. 0£., and in the
patronage of Dr. Starkey. The church, dedicated to St.
Nicholas, contains a mural tablet to the memory of
Henry Season, M.D., the projector and author of a wellknown
almanac, and, in an ancient chapel at the east
end, several, monuments of deceased members of the
Baynton family. There are places of worship for Baptists
and Wesleyan Methodists. The lordship belonged to
Harold, Earl of the West Saxons, and afterwards king
of England. Remains of a Roman bath, together with
some tesselated pavement, were discovered in a field
near .the site of Bromham Hall, in 1767. Here is an
almshouse for the support of six poor persons, to which
Sir Henry Baynton, in 1614," gave land producing £20
per annum$ this sum is yearly paid by the lord of the
manor. Dr. George Webb, consecrated Bishop of Limerick
in 1634, and esteemed one of the most effective
preachers of that age, was a native of Bromham, which
was also the birthplace of the Rev. John Collinson,
author of the History and Antiquities of the County of
Somerset, and other works on antiquarian and topographical
subjects, who died in 1796. About two miles to
the north, and close to the line of the Roman road from
London to Bath, is Spye Park, the property and occa7
sional residence, in the reign of Charles II., of the celebrated
wit and poet, John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester.