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.
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