on 13 february 1998, two unexploded bombs from world war ii were discovered in the field behind hardens mead during preparations for the building of abbeyfield school. about 1,100 residents in the east of chippenham had to be evacuated for two nights until the army carried out a controlled explosion. the army initially tried to defuse the larger device, but it was decided that owing to the bomb's orientation in the ground this would be too dangerous.