THE WILTSHIRE Museum in Devizes is on the move, once – as its boss puts it – “the small matter of raising £13 million has been dealt with first”.

But the museum director is excited about the move from the current Long Street premises to a new location at the Devizes Assizes, the grand Grade II-listed site which has been derelict since the 1980s.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to bring to life a museum of outstanding national importance,” said director David Dawson after he, Devizes MP Danny Kruger and Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, met at the new site to discuss plans for the regeneration project.

Assize Court was bought in 2018 by the Devizes Assize Court Trust and the charity will be leading the drive to find the £13 million needed for the restoration and refitting as the county’s principal museum.

Mr Dawson said the project would take up to eight years to complete and a fund-raising appeal would be launched later this year, after an application for funding had been made to the National Lottery’s Heritage Fund.

“The museum’s current building is no longer first for purpose,” said Mr Dawson, “it’s basically five buildings knocked together and it is not suitable for a museum of national importance; it doesn’t really shout about what we’ve got inside or what we do.

“The larger site will give us much more space for exhibitions, plus a lecture theatre and a café. It will enable us to better display what we do and it will also put the museum on the map in the town - many people have no idea where we currently are.”

Mr Kruger shares Mr Dawson’s enthusiasm for the bigger, better new site. He said: “I was very pleased to welcome Duncan from Historic England to Devizes to discuss the plans for our historic Assize Court with the team who are planning its restoration. I very much hope we will get the funding we need to restore the court and secure it as a lasting asset for the future.”

Historic England is supporting the trust to save the purpose-built court building, which has been on the Heritage at Risk Register since 1999. Mr Wilson said: “The Assize Court is vitally important to the story of Devizes and it’s sad to see it in its current condition. But its potential is also clear to see. As the new home for the Wiltshire Museum it could contribute hugely to local economic and community life. I’m pleased we’re working with the Trust and Wiltshire Museum to secure its future.”