Summerhayes

Devizes, Wiltshire's market town

by andrewyong

A medieval heritage

Devizes is an old medieval market town. Though reputedly founded by the Romans, I think, it flourished in the Middle Ages as a corn exchange. Hence, the Corn Exchange building now stands in the town square/

Town Square

In front of the town square stands also a monument reminding the folks there that they should not take the name of God in vain, because in 1753, a woman by the name of Ruth Pierce, made an agreement with two other women in order to purchase a stack of wheat and divide the purchase equally. When challenged that she hadn't contributed her share, she vehemently denied it; that she would drop dead it the accusation were true.

Guess what?! She denied it so many times that in front of the hearing crowd, she instantly dropped dead! Well, she asked for it, innit? (though she'd probably died of a heart attack due to sudeen rise in blood preasure. that's my best take... what d'ya think?

The Market Town of Devizes - Wiltshire

by joanj

"Devizes"

Devizes is an old Market Town on the edge of Salisbury Plain. (Stonehenge is on Salisbury Plain) in rich agriculture country.

Devizes had a Norman Castle built by the Bishop of Salisbury on the boundary between manors, but was destroyed by Cromwell; the present castle is 19th century.

The town has some find old houses and inns, and also a brewery where they have Shire Horses to pull the drays (carts holding beer barrels).
Sadly no picture of these,

From Devizes the Kennet and Avon Canal climbs 230 ft. up Caen Hill, by means of 29 of Rennie's locks - the longest flight of locks in Britain.

On the day I visited with an overseas friend, the locks were being repaired, so we were unable to walk the footpath by the locks.

The picture shows scaffolding in the front centre of the picture where workmen were repairing that particular lock.

The area does get many visitors in the summer, as the footpath by the locks and surrounding area make a nice walk in the country.

Photo by joanj