Corsham Rugby Football Club has been part of the town's sporting landscape for more than sixty years. Since its formation in 1964, the club has grown from a handful of enthusiastic players without a permanent home into one of Wiltshire's leading community rugby clubs, providing opportunities for hundreds of players of all ages every season.

The story of Corsham RFC is one of perseverance, volunteer spirit and an unwavering commitment to community.

The Birth of the Club (1964)

Corsham Rugby Football Club was officially inaugurated on Monday 24 August 1964, when a public meeting was held at the Corsham Community Centre under the chairmanship of Mr A. Black.

The proposal to establish a rugby club for the town was carried unanimously, and the response was immediate. More than forty players enrolled on the very first evening, demonstrating that there was already a strong appetite for rugby in Corsham.

Mr A. Black became the club's first Chairman, while Gordon Hodgson was appointed the club's first captain.

Just ten days later, on 3 September 1964, the club's first General and Executive Committee meeting was held at the Rudloe Park Hotel, which served as the club's original headquarters while preparations were made for the first season.

The First Home

Unlike today, Corsham RFC did not begin life at Lacock Road.

The club's earliest matches were played on the United Services Rugby Ground at Hudswell in Park Lane, part of the Army's School of Preliminary Education at Basil Hill. The ground, complete with an athletics track surrounding the pitch, was made available through the support of the military under the command of Lieutenant Colonel J. H. Green.

The site would later become known as the Sheffield Ground and today forms part of Katherine Park.

Military connections would continue to play an important role in the club's early development.

Years on the Move

The search for a permanent home defined much of the club's first two decades.

Around the mid-1970s, Corsham moved to a field behind the former Tunnel Inn at Boxfields. The pitch, owned by Bath and Portland Stone, was exposed, uneven and notoriously cold during the winter months. Players changed behind the Methuen Arms through the generosity of landlord Tom Stuart before making the journey to the pitch.

In 1979, the club secured a ten-year agreement to use Springfield, alongside Beechfield Road. Considerable volunteer effort transformed the rough ground into a playable rugby pitch, with members clearing stones and levelling the land themselves. Local residents occasionally mistook one growing mound as a convenient place to dispose of garden waste, something the club had to discourage.

During this period players changed at the Corsham Cricket Club pavilion on Station Road, meaning that the familiar sound of metal rugby studs echoing along Pickwick Road became part of many Saturday afternoons in the town.

Several alternative sites were offered to the club during these years, including land behind Grove House and another at Pockeridge Farm, but neither ultimately met the club's growing requirements.

Finding a Permanent Home

The turning point came in the early 1980s.

Following the successful period at Springfield, Lord John Methuen agreed to lease the field immediately adjacent to Corsham Football Club on Lacock Road.

Legend has it that the entrance to the new ground was widened almost instantly by a passing JCB, allowing access for construction work to begin.

The first rugby match on what is now the club's permanent home was played around 1985.

Development of the ground took place in three stages. Foundations came first, followed by changing rooms, showers and toilets. Finally, members built much of the clubhouse and bar themselves.

One condition set by Lord John Methuen was that the clubhouse should resemble a traditional agricultural barn so that it blended naturally into the surrounding countryside - a feature that remains part of its character today.

Touring Abroad

The club's first overseas tour took place in 1980, travelling to Rosenberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

The tour was made possible through the club's close relationship with the British Army based at Basil Hill and marked an important milestone in Corsham RFC's growing ambitions both on and off the field.

Growing Beyond One Team

Throughout the following decades, Corsham RFC continued to expand.

What began as a single senior men's side gradually developed into a thriving rugby community with multiple senior teams, a flourishing Mini and Junior section, Colts, Women's Rugby, Touch Rugby and Walking Rugby.

Generations of local children have progressed through the club's age groups, with many returning later as players, coaches, volunteers and committee members.

Today the club provides rugby from Under 6 through to senior rugby, creating a genuine pathway for players throughout their lives.

Built by Volunteers

Perhaps more than anything else, Corsham RFC's history is a story of volunteers.

From clearing stones from pitches and constructing clubhouse facilities to coaching children, running the bar, maintaining the grounds and organising fixtures, every generation has left its mark on the club.

The clubhouse, pitches and facilities that members enjoy today exist because thousands of volunteer hours have been given over the last six decades.

Corsham RFC Today

Today, Corsham Rugby Football Club is one of Wiltshire's largest and most active community rugby clubs.

Based at Lacock Road, the club now fields senior men's teams, Colts, Mini and Junior teams, Women's Rugby, Touch Rugby and Walking Rugby, welcoming hundreds of players and supporters every week.

While much has changed since those first forty players gathered in the Community Centre in August 1964, the club's values remain the same: friendship, teamwork, respect and a commitment to providing rugby for everyone.

As Corsham RFC looks towards the future, it continues to build upon the foundations laid by those original members over sixty years ago, ensuring rugby remains at the heart of the Corsham community for generations to come.

Historical Sources

This history has been compiled from club records and local historical sources, including research by Peter Kaljusko, who served Corsham RFC for 34 years in numerous roles including Club President, and 100 Years in Corsham Parish by Dr Peter Henderson (1995), together with official club records and archives.