Explore Keynsham’s historic High Street shops, discover ancient ruins and enjoy some of the town’s most beautiful green spaces with our brand new self-led heritage trail.
We don’t know when people first started to settle in Keynsham, but it was probably in prehistoric times – in 1965, a resident found Stone Age tools buried in her garden. Later, the Romans built houses, at least two villas and a crossing over the river.
Keynsham possibly had its own minster church in early medieval times, before Keynsham Abbey was founded in the 1100s. After the dissolution of the monasteries there was a period of decline, but the town’s fortunes improved in the 1700s with the rise of the brass industry along the Avon and Chew valleys.
In the 1920s, the arrival of a chocolate factory brought big changes to Keynsham. Thousands of jobs were created, bringing lots more people to the town. After the Second World War, house building and general prosperity led to significant growth and redevelopment. Though many historic buildings have been lost, there is still a wealth of architectural interest, archaeological gems and fascinating stories for visitors to discover.
Our new self-led heritage trail is just over 1.5 miles, starting and ending on Temple Street.
Download the digital trail map here. You can also pick up a print trail map from Temple Street Canteen, Keynsham Town Council offices or Keynsham Library.