Museums · South East England
Devizes
Devizes () is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. It developed around Devizes Castle, an 11th-century Norman castle, and received a charter in 1141. The castle was besieged during th
Neil Owen — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Best time of year
- Year-round
- Family-friendly
- Wheelchair accessible
About
Devizes () is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. It developed around Devizes Castle, an 11th-century Norman castle, and received a charter in 1141. The castle was besieged during the Anarchy, a 12th-century civil war between Stephen of England and Empress Matilda, and again during the English Civil War when the Cavaliers lifted the siege at the Battle of Roundway Down and the Parliamentarian Army of the West under Sir William Waller was routed. 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, and by the early 18th century it held the largest corn market in the West Country, constructing the Corn Exchange in 1857. In the 18th century, brewing, curing of tobacco, and snuff-making were established. The Wadworth Brewery was founded in the town in 1875. Standing at the west edge of the Vale of Pewsey and the northwestern edge of Salisbury Plain, Devizes is about 10+1⁄2 miles (17 kilometres) southeast of Chippenham and 11 miles (18 km) northeast of the county town of Trowbridge. The town has nearly five hundred listed buildings, some notable churches, a town hall and a green in the centre.
Photo gallery
From the Wikipedia article
Devizes () is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. It developed around Devizes Castle, an 11th-century Norman castle, and received a charter in 1141. The castle was besieged during the Anarchy, a 12th-century civil war between Stephen of England and Empress Matilda, and again during the English Civil War when the Cavaliers lifted the siege at the Battle of Roundway Down and the Parliamentarian Army of the West under Sir William Waller was routed. 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, and by the early 18th century it held the largest corn market in the West Country, constructing the Corn Exchange in 1857. In the 18th century, brewing, curing of tobacco, and snuff-making were established. The Wadworth Brewery was founded in the town in 1875. Standing at the west edge of the Vale of Pewsey and the northwestern edge of Salisbury Plain, Devizes is about 10+1⁄2 miles (17 kilometres) southeast of Chippenham and 11 miles (18 km) northeast of the county town of Trowbridge. The town has nearly five hundred listed buildings, some notable churches, a town hall and a green in the centre.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
Devizes Castle was built by Osmund, Bishop of Salisbury, in 1080, but the town is not mentioned in Domesday Book of 1086. Because the castle was on the boundaries of the manors of Rowde, Bishops Cannings and Potterne it became known as the castrum ad divisas ("the castle at the boundaries"), hence the name Devizes. On John Speed's map of Wiltshire (1611), the town's name is recorded as The Devyses. The first castle on the site was of the motte and bailey form and was probably made of wood and earth, but this burnt down in 1113. A new castle was built in stone by Roger of Salisbury, Osmund's successor. Devizes received its first charter in 1141, permitting regular markets. The castle changed…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.3528, -1.9958
- District
- Wiltshire
- Parish
- Devizes
- Postcode
- SN10 1JG
- Parliamentary constituency
- Melksham and Devizes
Sources
- wikipedia: Devizes (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Loading nearby places…
Nearby
📷 4Breweries · South West England
Black Swan Hotel, Devizes
The Black Swan Hotel is a traditional inn and hotel in Devizes, Wiltshire, England. Overlooking the Market Place on the A360 road, the inn was built in 1737. It is associated with the nearby Wadworth
📷 5Memorials & monuments · South East England
Market Cross
Market Cross is a memorial in the United Kingdom.
.jpg?width=1200)
📷 5Historic houses · South East England
Parnella House
Parnella House — house in Devizes, Wiltshire, England, UK.
Hotels · South East England
The Bear Hotel
The Bear Hotel — a hotel in england south east.
Cinemas · South East England
Palace Cinema
Palace Cinema — a cinema in england south east.
Hotels · South East England
The Peppermill Hotel
The Peppermill Hotel — a hotel in england south east.
More museums in this region
📷 5Museums · South East England
Adjutant General's Corps Museum
Adjutant General's Corps Museum — military museum in Winchester, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom.
📷 5Museums · South East England
Alexander Keiller Museum
Alexander Keiller Museum — museum in South West England, United Kingdom.
📷 5Museums · South East England
Amberley Museum
Amberley Museum — open-air industrial museum in West Sussex, United Kingdom.
📷 5Museums · South East England
American Museum and Gardens
American Museum and Gardens — culture and arts museum near Bath, England, United Kingdom.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Devizes?
- Devizes is in South East England, in the United Kingdom — coordinates 51.3528°, -1.9958°.
- Is Devizes wheelchair accessible?
- Yes — Devizes is tagged in OpenStreetMap as wheelchair-accessible.