Walk around the historic town of Devizes
11:00 am - 12:30 pm
MHS walk around the historic town of Devizes
This walk is a repeat of the one led by Nick Baxter on the 28th March which was oversubscribed.
When, Where, and Who
11 am Tuesday 16th May, meeting at the Estcourt Statue and Fountain in Devizes Market Place (SN10 1JQ). The walk will be led by Nick Baxter (Local Historian and MHS committee member).
Cost
The walk is free to members of the Marlborough History Society and to students. There is a charge of £5 for guests.
Bookings
Please make bookings via John Osborne (Trips and Visits): email jeo66@btinternet.com telephone 01672 514364. Bookings will be made on a first come first served basis.
Numbers
Numbers are limited to 16.
Description of the Walk
The walk covers level, easy-going terrain, and is achievable to wheel-chair users. It begins and ends at the Estcourt Statue in Devizes Market Place (SN10 1JQ) It is approximately a mile in length and takes between an hour and a quarter and an hour and a half. For those wishing for a shorter walk a return to the Market Place can be made from Wine Street through the Little Brittox.
Public Toilets
There are public toilets (20p charge) at West Central car park accessed from New Park Street (SN10 1DP)
Car Parking
There is parking in the Market Place but is limited to two hours. Nearby West Central (SN10 1DP) and Central (SN10 1DW) car parks are short stay with a maximum of three hours. West Central is accessed from New Park Street but there is easy pedestrian access into the Market Place via the covered market and/or a parallel footpath. Central car park (the former Tesco’s car park) is accessed from Maryport Street. Poundland is now where Tesco used to be. These car parks charge 90p up to an hour, £1.80 for up to two hours, and £2.60 for up to three hours.
There are long stay car parks in Station Road (SN10 1BZ) and on The Wharf (SN10 1ED). The Station Road car park charges £2.60 for up to four hours, £3.30 for up to five hours, and £5.50 for all day. Lesser charges apply for less than three hours. The Wharf car park charges £3.20 for up to four hours, £4.10 for up to five hours, and £7.70 for all day. Again, lesser charges apply for less than three hours.
Itinerary
The walk begins by the Estcourt statue in Devizes Market Place. The Estcourt statue is the one at the north end of the Market Place near the Black Swan Hotel (SN10 1JQ). We then cross the Market Place to the Market Cross erected in 1814. From the Market Place, we proceed along St John’s Street to the Town Hall to enter St John’s churchyard via St John’s Court. From St John’s we cross Long Street via the pedestrian crossing to return towards the town centre, visiting St John’s Alley, a unique survival of 16th and 17th century timber-framed buildings. From St John’s Alley we follow the pavement round into Wine Street. Here the walk can be ended by those wishing for a shorter walk by returning to the Market Place via the Little Brittox. Entering the Brittox from Wine Street, we proceed to Maryport Street to explore the site of the first town named after St Mary’s Church. Monday Market Street is a reminder of Devizes’s primordial market place. We then proceed along New Park Street returning to the Market Place via Snuff Street.
Nick Baxter 2023