Devizes
Devizes is a
town and
civil parish in the
English county of
Wiltshire.
A
Norman castle was built in Devizes in
1080 by
Osmund,
Bishop of Salisbury. Because the castle was located on the boundaries of the manors of
Rowde,
Bishops Cannings and
Potterne it became known as the
castrum ad divisas or the castle at the boundaries, hence the name Devizes. The original castle was probably a wood and earth construction, but this burnt down in
1113 and was rebuilt in stone by
Roger of Salisbury, Osmund's successor. This castle changed hands several times during the civil war between
Stephen of Blois and
Matilda in the
12th century. The castle held several important prisoners at various times, including
Robert of Normandy, eldest son of
William the Conqueror in
1106. Robert was kept in Devizes for 20 years, before being moved to
Cardiff.
During the
12th and
13th centuries the town of Devizes developed outside the castle with craftsmen and traders setting up businesses to provide the residents of the castle with goods and services. The first known market in Devizes was in
1228. The original market place was in the large space outside St Mary's Church, rather than in the current Eating Place, which at that time would have been within the castle's outer bailey. The chief products in the
16th and early
17th centuries were
wheat,
wool and
yarn, with
cheese,
bacon and
butter increasing in importance later.
In
1643, during the
English Civil War Parliamentary forces under Sir
William Waller besieged
Royalist forces under Sir
Ralph Hopton in Devizes. However the siege was lifted by a relief force from
Oxford under
Lord Wilmot and Waller's forces were almost totally destroyed at the
Battle of Roundway Down. Devizes remained under Royalist control until
1645 when
Oliver Cromwell attacked and forced the Royalists to surrender. The castle was destroyed in
1648 on the orders of
Parliament and today little remains of it.
From the
16th century Devizes became known for its
textiles, initially white
woollen broadcloth but later the manufacture of
serge,
drugget,
felt and
cassimere. From the end of the
18th century the manufacture of textiles declined, but other trades in the town included
clock making, a bell
foundry,
booksellers,
milliners,
grocers and
silversmiths. In the
18th century brewing, curing of
tobacco and the manufacture of
snuff were established in the town. Brewing still survives in the famous
Wadworth Brewery, but the tobacco and snuff trades have now died out.
The
Kennet and Avon Canal was constructed between
1794 and
1810 and served to link Devizes with
Bristol and
London. Near Devizes the canal rises 237 feet by means of 29 locks, 16 of them in a straight line at
Caen Hill. The canal fell into disuse after the coming of the railway, but has been restored, and is now used for leisure purposes.
In
1857 the
Somerset and Weymouth Railway opened a branch line from
Holt Junction, on their line from
Chippenham to
Weymouth, to Devizes. In
1862 the
Great Western Railway extended their
Reading to
Hungerford line to meet this line, providing a direct line from
London to the
West Country through Devizes. However the building of a by-pass line through
Westbury removed most traffic from the Devizes line and it closed in
1966. Today the nearest railway stations are at
Chippenham or
Pewsey.
The town is currently experiencing quite rapid housing growth, especially on its eastern fringe towards
Andover.
Devizes is a civil parish, with an elected town council. It is also the administrative centre for the much larger
Kennet District Council, and falls within the area of the
Wiltshire County Council. All three councils are responsible for different aspects of local government. Prior to the
Local Government Act coming into force in
1974, Devizes was a
municipal borough.
In the 2001 census, the town had a population of 11,296.
Devizes is part of the
Devizes parliamentary constituency, which is currently held by
Conservative Michael Ancram.
Position: Nearby towns and cities: Calne,
Chippenham,
Marlborough,
Swindon,
Salisbury,
Andover,
Tidworth,
Nearby villages: Roundway,
Bishops Cannings,
Horton,
Coate,
Etchilhampton,
Wedhampton,
Stert,
Potterne,
Poulshot,
Seend,
RowdeEach year at Easter the
Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Marathon is held on a course between Devizes and
Westminster in
London, a total distance of 125 miles. Its football team is
Devizes Town F.C. and they play in the
Western Football League.
*
List of places in Wiltshire*
List of civil parishes in England*
List of towns in England*
Devizes Town Council Website*
Wiltshire County Council Website page on Devizes, retrieved 18:15 Oct 12, 2004 (UTC)
*
Kennet District Council Website page on Devizes Town, retrieved 18:15 Oct 12, 2004 (UTC)
