Devizes boasts one of the largest market places of any town in the West of England.

But until now no one has written a book especially about it.

Local historian and blacksmith John Girvan has remedied that situation with a lavishly illustrated paperback entitled – what else? – Devizes Market Place.

Mr Girvan chronicles the development of the Market Place from the layout of the medieval castle, built by the Bishop of Salisbury in the 11th century and finally destroyed by Oliver Cromwell in the 17th century.

The Market Place has seen events of all descriptions over the centuries, and has hosted a Thursday market since the town received its royal charter from Empress Matilda in 1141.

People have been flogged, hanged and burned at the stake in the Market Place, but in recent years it has been the venue for much more gentle pastimes.

For many years it has hosted Devizes Carnival and the August bank holiday Monday street festival.

Circus elephants have drunk from the Estcourt fountain and an escapologist enthralled spectators when he unshackled himself in public in the 1950s.

One of the most remarkable events ever to take place in the Market Place is commemorated on the Market Cross.

In 1753 Potterne housewife Ruth Pierce was buying corn with a number of her friends and swore that she had contributed her share.

She called upon God Almighty to strike her dead if she lied. A moment later she collapsed lifeless with the coins hidden in her hand.

Much more recently, in 2001, the Market Place became the centre of a huge furore when Kennet District Council wanted to chop down the five London Plane trees planted by the then Mayor of Devizes in the 1880s.

The council said the trees were diseased and should come down before they fell down.

Feelings ran so high that the council contractors felt obliged to act in the early hours of a Sunday morning to do the dastardly deed.

To launch his book Mr Girvan was photographed riding the Penny Farthing bicycle originally owned and ridden by shop owner Thomas Slope.

Mr Sloper was the son of the founder of the department store in the Brittox and the bike was built in Coventry in 1874 and named the Special Challenge.

Mr Girvan’s book is on sale at Devizes Books, price £12.99.