Press Release 2 May 2017

Devizes

History of the town
Devizes is a vibrant market town with a medieval past, wealth of history and architectural heritage. The Market Place has recently been listed as one of the prettiest streets in Britain.

A Roman settlement existed here and subsequently several Roman finds have been recorded in the town. In the 11th century the first Devizes castle was built by Osmund, Bishop of Salisbury. The castle was said to have been built on the boundary line between three ancient manors. The Latin for ‘at the boundaries’ is ‘ad devisas’, hence the town’s name Devizes.

The original wooden castle burnt down soon after it was completed and later a stone castle was built. The town was besieged in the Civil War, and if you look closely at the tower of St. James’ Church, you will see the scars of that bombardment clearly visible. In May 1646, Parliament ordered the castle to be dismantled so today all that remains is the original mound, the outline of the moat, part of the keep and traces of the foundations of the great hall. 

Things to see and do
There are more than 500 listed buildings in the town and a wide range of traditional independent shops plus a regular Thursday market.

Devizes is home to a number of nationally-known visitor attractions:

Take a tour of Wadworth Brewery, sample their famous 6X, see a unique collection of hand painted pub signs and meet the Shire horses that still deliver beer to the local pubs within the town. 

Take a stroll along the Kennet and Avon Canal to see the Caen Hill flight of 29 locks, a triumph of Georgian engineering, hire a 28 foot long self-drive day boat from the Devizes Marina Village or enjoy an up-close view of the canal from the comfort of a Canadian canoe.

Visit the Wiltshire Museum which has award-winning galleries that tell the story of the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site alongside a display of gold from the time of Stonehenge. Director’s tours of the museum are available for those wanting to know more and it offers immersive and interactive displays which are superb for children of all ages. 

The Devizes White Horse, is the most recent of Wiltshire’s White Horses, carved in 1999, in celebration of the Millennium. It is located on Roundway Hill and is the only horse in Wiltshire to be facing right looking towards the Alton Barnes White Horse. 

Indulge yourself in culinary delights and learn some new skills at the Vaughan’s Cookery School. 

Annual Events & Entertainment
Devizes has a great sense of community and hosts a Food Festival in May. Every year in August the Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts (DOCA) runs a festival fortnight delivering an outstanding programme of events with the International Street Festival and Carnival. The Devizes Arts Festival runs in June each year for two weeks and there is also a beer festival in July.

A celebration of ‘Wild Wiltshire’ run by the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, takes places in September when the Country Comes to Town.

Where to eat and drink
The Vaults Ale House and Beer Shop offers cask ales and ciders and a menu of delicious locally-sourced pies while The Marina Café on the Kennet & Avon Canal serves breakfasts, sandwiches, paninis and salads alongside homemade cakes and chocolate treats. 

The George and Dragon at the nearby village of Rowde, is a traditional village pub with newly refurbished rooms and two AA rosettes serving fresh fish delivered daily from Cornwall. Set in the grounds of a Wiltshire dairy farm The Rowdey Cow Farm Café and Ice Cream Parlour offer homemade ice cream made from their own cow milk!

Where to stay
The Castle Hotel is an 18th century coaching inn with 19 rooms, a traditional bar and restaurant with roaring fires in the winter. The Bear Hotel also in the town centre has 25 rooms with first-class facilities and fine dining. Avalon Lodge is within walking distance of the Caen Hill locks and is a large detached family house with rural views. In the nearby village of Potterne is a traditional rural farm stay property Blounts Court Farm. 

Connectivity
Devizes is at the heart of Wiltshire, around 20 miles south of Swindon and 25 miles north of Salisbury. The nearest railway stations can be found at Chippenham (12 miles), Melksham (10 miles) and Pewsey (13 miles). There are also regular coaches from London and Bristol. Devizes has obtained coach friendly status from the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) and welcomes group visitors. 

What’s nearby?
Devizes makes a great base from which to explore the timeless county of Wiltshire. It is only a few miles away from the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site and tranquil walking and cycling in the Vale of Pewsey. 

For golf enthusiasts there is the North Wilts Golf Course or Sleight Valley Golf Driving Range nearby.

For further information please see www.visitwiltshire.co.uk/devizes 

For further information or to arrange a press visit please contact Florence Wallace, Travel Trade & PR Manager, flowallace@visitwiltshire.co.uk Tel: 01722 341309 or 07436 588860 

Note to editors: VisitWiltshire is the official Destination Management & Marketing Organisation for Wiltshire representing 600 partners. It is a public/private sector membership organisation. VisitWiltshire's priority is to grow the county's Visitor Economy by raising awareness of the destination and generating additional tourism visits and spend.  Wiltshire's Visitor Economy currently generates an estimated £1.5billion and supports over 29,000 jobs.

For further information about Devizes Town Council visit www.devizes-tc.gov.uk  

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