Editing Devizes (section)

==History==
[[Devizes Castle]] was built by [[Saint Osmund|Osmund]], [[Bishop of Salisbury]] in 1080, but the town is not mentioned in the [[Domesday Book]] of 1086. Because the castle was on the boundaries of the [[manorialism|manors]] of [[Rowde]], [[Bishops Cannings]] and [[Potterne]] it became known as the ''castrum ad divisas'' ("the castle at the boundaries"), hence the name ''Devizes''.<ref>[http://www.devizesheritage.org.uk/castle.html Devizes Heritage: Castle] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216014837/http://www.devizesheritage.org.uk/castle.html |date=16 February 2015 }}</ref> 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 hands several times during [[the Anarchy]], a civil war between [[Stephen of England|Stephen of Blois]] and [[Empress Maud|Matilda]] in the 12th century. The castle held important prisoners, including (from 1106) [[Robert Curthose]], eldest son of [[William the Conqueror]].<ref>Charles Wendell David, ''Robert Curthose, Duke of Normandy'' (1920)</ref>

The town has had churches since the 12th century<ref name="vch-relig">{{cite web|website=British History Online|title=Victoria County History – Wiltshire – Vol 10 pp285-314 – The borough of Devizes: Religious and cultural history|editor-first=Elizabeth|editor-last=Crittall|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/wilts/vol10/pp285-314|publisher=University of London|year=1975|access-date=2 June 2016}}</ref> and today has four [[Church of England]] [[parish church]]es.

During the 12th and 13th centuries, the town of Devizes developed outside the castle with craftsmen and traders setting up businesses to serve the residents of the castle. The first known market in Devizes was in 1228. The original market was in the large space outside St Mary's Church, rather than in the current [[Market Place, Devizes|Market Place]], which at that time would have been within the castle's outer bailey.<ref>{{cite web|title = Devizes|work=Wiltshire Community History|publisher=Wiltshire Council
|url = https://apps.wiltshire.gov.uk/communityhistory/Community/Index/77|access-date = 21 April 2008}}</ref> The chief products in the 16th and early 17th centuries were wheat, wool and yarn, with cheese, bacon and butter increasing in importance later.
[[File:devizes.market.cross.arp.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Market Cross, Devizes|Market Cross]], built in 1814 to replace an earlier cross standing a little to the south<ref name=Haycock92>{{cite book|last=Haycock|first=Lorna|title=Devizes|publisher=Tempus|location=Stroud, England|year=2000|edition=2|page=92|isbn=0-7524-2159-X}}</ref>]]

In 1643, during the [[English Civil War]], [[Parliament of England|Parliamentary]] forces under Sir [[William Waller]] besieged [[Cavalier|Royalist]] forces under Sir [[Ralph Hopton]] in Devizes. The [[siege]] was lifted by a relief force from [[Oxford]] under [[Henry Wilmot, 1st Earl of Rochester]], 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, a process known as [[slighting]], and today little remains of it; almost all of the present structure is from the 19th century.<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1249366|desc=Devizes Castle including Glass House and Garden Walls encircling west side of mound|access-date=2 October 2023|fewer-links=yes}}</ref>

From the 16th century, Devizes became known for its textiles:<ref name="vch trade">{{cite web|website=British History Online|title=Victoria County History – Wiltshire – Vol 10 pp252-285 – The borough of Devizes: Trade, agriculture and local government|editor-first=Elizabeth|editor-last=Crittall|url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/wilts/vol10/pp252-285|publisher=University of London|date=1975|access-date=28 October 2019}}</ref> initially white woollen [[broadcloth]] but later the manufacture of [[serge (fabric)|serge]], [[drugget]], [[felt]], and cassimere or [[Zephyr cloth]]. In the mid 18th century, Devizes held the largest corn market in the [[West Country]] of England and also traded hops, cattle, horses and various types of cloth.<ref name="vch trade" /> Before the Corn Exchange was built in 1857, the trade in wheat and barley was conducted in the open, with sacks piled around the [[market cross]].<ref name=Haycock92/> The [[Market Cross, Devizes|cross erected in 1814]] displays the tale of a woman, Ruth Pierce, who dropped dead suddenly after being discovered cheating.<ref>{{cite web|title=New twist on bizarre moral tale for all time|url=http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/7396709.new-twist-on-bizarre-moral-tale-for-all-time/|website=This Is Wiltshire|access-date=5 March 2018|language=en|date=27 September 2000}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Waylen|first=James|title=A history military and municipal of the ancient borough of The Devizes|year=1859|publisher=Longman|location=London|page=388|chapter=Sudden Death of Ruth Pierce|oclc=655429760}}</ref><ref>Haycock (2000: 48)</ref>

Prosperous [[wool]] merchants built [[town house]]s in St. John's and Long Street, and around the market place. From the end of the 18th century the manufacture of textiles declined, but other trades in the town included clock-making, a [[Bellfounding|bell foundry]], booksellers, [[Hatmaking|milliner]]s, grocers and silversmiths. In the 18th, century brewing, curing of tobacco and [[Snuff (tobacco)|snuff]]-making were established in the town. Brewing survives in the [[Wadworth Brewery]], but the tobacco and snuff trades have now died out.

[[File:wadworths.dray.in.devizes.arp.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Shire horse]]s of the [[Wadworth Brewery]] are giving the public a ride but normally deliver beer locally]]

The pond known as The Crammer, east of the town centre, is claimed to be site of the 18th-century [[Moonrakers]] story which led to a colloquial name for Wiltshire people.<ref>{{cite web|website=Wiltshire Community History|title=Bishops Cannings|url=https://apps.wiltshire.gov.uk/communityhistory/Community/Index/20|publisher=Wiltshire Council|access-date=4 June 2016}}</ref>

In 1794, a meeting at the [[Bear Hotel, Devizes|Bear Hotel]] decided to raise a body of ten independent troops of yeomanry in the county of Wiltshire. These would later be brought together to form the [[Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry]], the senior yeomanry regiment. In 1810 the county militia, quartered at Devizes, mutinied and the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry were called out to quell the disturbances. The mutiny came to a head when the two forces faced off against each other with loaded firearms in the Market Square, at which point the militia ringleaders surrendered.<ref>{{cite book|last=Graham|first=Henry|title=The Annals of the Yeomanry Cavalry of Wiltshire|year=1886|publisher=Harvard University|page=13|chapter=The Formation of the Regiment}}</ref> The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry went on to serve at home and abroad, including in the [[Boer War]], both World Wars, and live on as B (RWY) Squadron and Y (RWY) Squadron of the [[Royal Wessex Yeomanry]], based in Old Sarum and Swindon respectively.<ref>{{cite web|title = Royal Wessex Yeomanry|work = British Army Website|url = http://www.army.mod.uk/armoured/regiments/30100.aspx|access-date = 5 January 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304061011/http://www.army.mod.uk/armoured/regiments/30100.aspx|archive-date = 4 March 2016|url-status = dead|df = dmy-all}}</ref>

A new [[Devizes Prison]], or County House of Corrections, was opened in 1817. This replaced the [[Village lock-up|Bridewell]]<ref>[http://www.devizesheritage.org.uk/the_old_bridewell_devizes.html Devizes Heritage: The Old Bridewell] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527141618/http://www.devizesheritage.org.uk/the_old_bridewell_devizes.html |date=27 May 2010 }}</ref> that had been built in Bridewell Street in 1579. The new prison was built of brick and stone, and was designed by [[Richard Ingleman]] as a two-storey [[polygon]] surrounding a central governor's house. It had an operational life of more than ninety years and was closed in 1922. It stood on the north side of the Castle's Old Park, across the [[Kennet and Avon Canal]] by way of a bridge still called Prison Bridge. The House of Corrections was demolished by 1928.<ref>[http://www.devizesheritage.org.uk/devizes_prison_the_county_house_of_correctio.html Devizes Heritage: Devizes Prison the County House of Corrections] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100611112822/http://www.devizesheritage.org.uk/devizes_prison_the_county_house_of_correctio.html |date=11 June 2010 }}</ref>

Devizes has more than 500 listed buildings, a large number for a town of its size. The Trust for Devizes has a Town Trail map which provides a guide to many of them.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Blue Plaque Scheme|url=http://www.trustfordevizes.info/group_activity/blue_plaque_scheme|publisher=The Trust for Devizes|access-date=3 June 2016}}</ref> 17 Market Place is a substantial [[Listed building#Categories of listed building|Grade I listed]] house from the early 18th century.<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1250423|desc=17, Market Place|access-date=3 June 2016|fewer-links=yes}}</ref> In the centre of the Market Place is the [[Market Cross, Devizes|Market Cross]], rebuilt in 1814 to designs of [[James Wyatt]].<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1250362|desc=The Market Cross|access-date=3 June 2016|fewer-links=yes}}</ref> [[Brownston House]] is another Grade I house, on New Park Street; it has been home to four MPs and two Army Generals from 1700, and housed a young ladies' boarding school from 1859 to 1901. It was conserved in 1976 by Wiltshire Council and is now a business head office.<ref>[http://www.devizesheritage.org.uk/brownston_house_2.html Devizes Heritage: Brownston House] {{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Heathcote House on the Green in Devizes is a Grade II* listed building; its history is associated with the church and education.<ref>[http://www.devizesheritage.org.uk/heathcote_house.html Devizes Heritage: Heathcote House] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009083455/http://www.devizesheritage.org.uk/heathcote_house.html |date=9 October 2011 }}</ref> No 8 Long Street was the house of the clothier Samuel Powell, as well as Admiral [[Joseph Needham Tayler|Joseph Tayler]], one of the inspirations for [[C.S. Forester]]'s fictional hero [[Horatio Hornblower]].<ref>[http://www.trustfordevizes.info/112%20Final%20Web.pdf Trust for Devizes newsletter] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110125012635/http://www.trustfordevizes.info/112%20Final%20Web.pdf |date=25 January 2011 }}</ref> [[Southbroom House]],<ref>[http://www.devizesheritage.org.uk/southbroom_house_devizes.html Devizes Heritage: Southbroom House] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009084156/http://www.devizesheritage.org.uk/southbroom_house_devizes.html |date=9 October 2011 }}</ref> close to the Green, was built in 1501, then burnt down and was rebuilt by the Eyles family in 1772; it is now at the heart of [[Devizes School]].

The town was a coaching stop for [[mail coach]]es and [[stagecoaches]] on the road from London to [[Bristol]], as evidenced by the number of [[coaching inn]]s in the town. The Kennet and Avon Canal, fully open by 1810, passes close to the centre of the town. The town gained a [[Devizes railway station|railway station]] in 1857 but the line was closed in 1966.

[[File:Former Assize Court, Devizes - geograph.org.uk - 2279961.jpg|thumb|[[Devizes Assize Court]], future home of the [[Wiltshire Museum]]]]
In 1853 the [[Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society]] was founded in the town, and later opened a museum in Long Street. Now called the [[Wiltshire Museum]],<ref>https://www.wiltshiremuseum.org.uk/ Museum website</ref> its collections are designated as being of national significance. The museum has extensive [[Bronze Age Britain|Bronze Age]] collections and includes finds from the [[Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site]], including [[West Kennet Long Barrow]], [[Marden Henge]] and [[Bush Barrow]]. There are plans to move the museum into the Grade II* listed former [[Devizes Assize Court]], northwest of the town centre, where facilities for community events will also be provided.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Assizes for Devizes: Unlocking Wiltshire's Stories |url=https://www.wiltshiremuseum.org.uk/assizes/ |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=Wiltshire Museum |language=en-GB}}</ref>

There was a military presence in the town at [[Le Marchant Barracks]], from 1878 until the 1980s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.devizesheritage.org.uk/le_marchant_barracks_devizes-_1939-1945.html|title=Le Marchant Barracks|publisher=Devizes Heritage|access-date=27 May 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528023606/http://www.devizesheritage.org.uk/le_marchant_barracks_devizes-_1939-1945.html|archive-date=28 May 2014}}</ref>

In 1999, a [[hill figure]] of a white horse was cut onto a hill close to [[Roundway Hill]]. Known as the [[Devizes White Horse]], it replaced an earlier one which was cut in 1845.

In 2014, the town celebrated the 200th anniversary of the Market Cross, marked by [[Viscount Sidmouth]] and his cousin, [[High Sheriff of Wiltshire]] Peter Addington.<ref>{{cite news|title=Second time for Devizes cross|url=http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/11438739.Second_time_for_Devizes_cross/?ref=var_0|work=Gazette & Herald}}</ref>