Devizes Town Guide

WELCOME to Devizes. It is not the biggest town in the county, nor the most historic, but it has so far resisted the kind of town centre redevelopment that has robbed many similar market towns of their charm.

Although the medieval castle on which it was founded is no more, the town has much to commend it. St John's and St Mary's churches both date back to the 12th century and retain many original features.

It is full of architectural gems, including Georgian buildings like the present town hall and its predecessor, which now houses the town's branch of the C&G.

Booming in the 17th and 18th centuries because of the wool trade, it received a commercial boost with the opening, in 1810, of the Kennet and Avon Canal. The town enjoyed a brief heyday until the Great Western Railway was built but virtually by-passed the town.

It is a perfect touring base for those interested in the prehistoric sites of Stonehenge and Avebury, white horses, crop circles and a host of historic sites, including the site of the Battle of Roundway Down, Longleat House, Bowood House and Littlecote House.

There is a lot to see in the town, so sit down in one of the coffee houses or pubs, order some refreshment and leaf through this handy guide produced by the Wiltshire Gazette and Herald, which has been reporting on Wiltshire since 1816.