Trust News Issue 159 - February 2020

January's behind us and the Playing fields sell-off evenings are getting lighter. We've survived Storm Ciara and the snowdrops drops and daffodils are there to brighten us up. Time to get down to the serious business..... Our town is always changing, new shops and restaurants. Even a new hotel (see below). Most of that change is good but some of it appears to threaten the structure and landscape of the town. Elsewhere in this edition, we have mentioned the decision by Wadworth to build a new brewery, hopefully in , and the proposal from the White Horse Federation to sell some of the playing fields in the grounds of Devizes School. Your Trustees are taking a pro- active approach to these issues by getting involved as soon as the announcements are made. We are also part of the group which is reviewing and re-writing the Neighbourhood Plan so that we can play a part in the development and growth of the town and some of the neighbouring villages. But we can't be everywhere and do everything so we need your help. If The White Horse Federation, a multi- Our Playing Field' protest,. A public you know of or find out about academy trust of primary schools, meeting was held on December 16th planning and development special schools and secondary schools, with over 200 people in attendance. proposals which you think the Trust including Devizes School, recently Concern was expressed at the meeting should look at, please let us know announced that it proposed to sell about the air quality issues and the as soon as possible, either by email, approximately 5.7 acres (2.3 hectares) implications for the Neighbourhood in writing or just by stopping us in the street and having a chat! of the school's playing fields for Plan. housing development. The Federation In the last edition of Trust News, we The Trust has raised several objections says that the money raised would to the proposal: reported on the change of enable improvement to the school ownership and use of the building infrastructure, and the development of - The permanent loss of green space formerly known as the Crown learning spaces and environments. near the town centre Centre. We can now confirm that planning permission has been Before an application to sell school - The increase in traffic – especially at granted for change of use to a hotel playing fields can be submitted to the Roses roundabout and the building is now known as Department for Education for formal - The fact that the potential the Peppermill Hotel. Work on the approval of the disposal (as required by development is not included in the interior is progressing and the hotel the Academies Act 2010), there is a current Neighbourhood Plan with the will add more much needed rooms requirement for local consultation to be suggestion that any new proposals for for visitors to Devizes. carried out. developments should be put forward The announcement of the proposed for inclusion in the revised Plan which sale was greeted with protests from Is currently being developed. various quarters including the pupils, We will be following developments on as hundreds of students staged a 'Save this proposal with keen interest. Seen around town Wadworth Brewery

After many months behind scaffolding, the revamped building next to the Three Crowns is unveiled . Originally part of the pub, it now serves as accommodation for staff. Below is a view of St Peter’s School taken from the canal towpath. Progress is being made adapting the building for apartments. The recent announcement by building and has no intention of Wadworth that the Northgate brewery seeing it left vacant. was coming to 'the end of its useful life' They are already working with raised concerns amongst the Trustees that architects FCB who are well known for the brewery building might be at risk. their pioneering work in sustainable Queen Victoria was on the throne and beer design and social design agenda. cost no more than three pence per pint when Wadworth are looking at a number of Wadworth opened the brewery and for 135 sites for the location of the new years the imposing red-brick building brewery and it is their intention to has dominated the local skyline. remain within Devizes. They envisage We requested a meeting with the new brewery being in place in 2/3 Wadworth CEO, Chris Welham, and years and are working closely with arranged to meet him and company Council at a senior level. Chairman, Charles Bartholomew at the Incidentally, CAMRA members will be Brewery. pleased to know that Wadworth are Finally, a view of the former Crown After a very open and wide ranging already working on a number of new Centre in its new guise as the discussion, we were reassured that the beers as they aim to match the Peppermill Hotel, discussed in the Brewery building is in safe hands. The flexibility and agility of the more than Editor’s comments. company is very clear on its 500 micro breweries which have responsibilities for the Grade II listed sprung up in the UK in recent years.

On 12th December 2019, I reported to repaired. The system works! using their online The online tool and mobile app allows reporting system that one of the signs you to report a whole range of items on the A361 at the roundabout by St including abandoned vehicles, fly James Church was damaged and tipping, highways issues and street needed to be mended. lighting. All you need to do is set up an This was just one in a number of account at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/mywiltshire- reports I had made during 2019, online-reporting mainly about potholes and gutters Or you can Contact Customer Services needing clearance. I am pleased to on 0300 456 0100. report that the sign has now been A year as Mayor

Saturday 14 March, 2:30 - 4:30pm Lecture Hall, Wiil Partridge, Finds Liaison Officer for Wiltshire, discusses a number of recent finds of late Roman Pewter from within Wiltshire. £7 (£4 for WANHS members)

Sunday 22 March,10am at the Corn Exchange, Market Place, Devizes. Tickets WAHNS members £25, non-members £35

Friday 17 April – 6.30pm for 7pm Lecture Hall, Wiltshire Museum A talk by Mike Parker Pearson, Professor of British Later Prehistory, Institute of Judy Rose, a Trust for Devizes was elected in 2013 and again in 2017. Archaeology about recent member, is coming to the end of a excavations in the Preseli hills of hectic year as Mayor of Devizes. west Wales which have revealed Philippa Morgan interviewed her to new insights into the sources of Yes, indeed. Mrs M C Reed was the find out about more about her year in the famous bluestones that were first female Mayor in 1951/2 and the job. brought 180 miles to be erected at 1953 closely followed by Mrs EFO Stonehenge. Proudman in 1956. Since then, there £15 (£12 for WANHS members) My husband had a work relocation to have been 12 female mayors Wiltshire and we looked at all the (including me) although Jane Burton Wiltshire market towns but fell in love has been mayor twice. Monday 11 May, 10.30am – noon with Devizes as soon as we saw the These tours are opportunities for Market Place. We bought the second people living with Dementia in our house that we viewed and have lived community to enjoy our Museum there ever since. Avon Road has a I was Deputy Mayor for a year so I was with the confidence that their great community spirit and it was a aware of what was in store for me but needs will be understood and lovely place to bring up our girls. We I hadn't anticipated the amount of supported. still love living there as we all grow work involved. It's vital for the Mayor Cost: £5 per person (carer free). older together! to be fully aware of the business of the Town Council and apply their Booking: online or 01380 727369. knowledge to supporting the work of the officers in carrying out the wishes I became involved in 2001 when the of the Council. For example, one of EXHIBITIONS Devizes maternity unit was first the jobs of the Mayor is to sign official, Cloth Road Arts threatened and Kennet Council legal documents on behalf of the town 25 January – 14 March 2020 chopped down three out of four trees so it's very important to read and (Oexmann Art Gallery) in the Market Place. Tony Duck and I, understand what you're signing. The Cloth Road Arts is a not-for-profit discussed the idea of setting up a It's been a tiring year but also very collective formed in 2004 with the 'pressure group' - he had already worthwhile and I'm extremely grateful purpose of promoting the visual arts spoken to a couple of others who were to all the Town Council staff who have and artisans in the Bradford-on-Avon, Trowbridge, Melksham and as keen as I was. been supportive and helpful, surrounding areas of Wiltshire. The first meeting of the group, which providing advice and guidance when The exhibition will feature a selection became the Devizes Guardians, was of I've needed it. of works by members of the group 6 or 7 people and was held above including artwork, textile, ceramics Duck’s Newsagent in Monday Market and glassware etc. Full content of the Street. A further meeting of 350 exhibition will be confirmed in We will definitely be booking a holiday people was held subsequently and the December 2019. Devizes Guardians was born. The soon but I will be a grandmother again name was in tribute to the people who in June so that will take priority. I will, had guarded the remaining tree in the of course, still be a town councillor so Market Place. When I retired, I decided there'll still be plenty of local issues to stand for Devizes Town Council and for me to be involved in. The Trust AGM will be on Thursday 19th March, 2020 at the Assembly Room, Devizes Town Hall. The meeting will start promptly at 7:30pm Earth & Universe: Images by Robert Harvey 18 January – 15 March 2020 (Piper Art Following the AGM business, our speaker this year will be Dr Geraint Coles, Director of Gallery) the Cultural Heritage Institute which has recently been set up as part of the Royal Agricultural University at Swindon. As well as being an academic, Geraint has been This exhibition features a collection of director of a heritage-led regeneration programme – the conservation, restoration and landscape astrophotography images, development of the 240 year old Chesterfield Canal. highlighting how to capture the beauty of the night sky with a regular digital camera and lenses. Many of the The Canal Forge photographs to be displayed include iconic landscapes in Wiltshire such as Stonehenge, Avebury, Devil’s Den, West Kennet Long Barrow, Wilton Windmill, Lacock Abbey and Salisbury Plain, providing a strong local connection. Other images will feature from Dorset, Devon, and elsewhere in Britain.

www.wiltshireheritagecollections.org.uk

The Canal Forge was opened in 1980 Film and television companies have by John Girvan at Lower Wharf Devizes also used the location with visiting on the former site of a stone breaker's celebrities, including Angela Rippon in yard. A fully working forge hearth and 1986, Derek Acorah in 2006 and an exhibition room was set up in the Michaela Strachan in 2011. single story brick built workshop. On John's retirement, a cell door which Working with notable blacksmiths, he had rescued from the old County John developed experience in hot Prison was donated to the Wiltshire forging ornamental ironwork. His work Museum at Devizes, where an can be seen in the local area, as well as exhibition was presented as The in France and America. John's work Blacksmith's Craft with John's work on includes the large sailing ship weather display in the Art Gallery. vanes at the Bristol Dockside. The Wiltshire Historic Buildings Trust Over the years, numerous schools and has now acquired the forge building, groups have visited the forge for a having previously acquired the demonstration of his traditional craft. adjacent old County Assize Court to include in the proposed new site for the Wiltshire Museum project.

Trust News is published by: The officers of the Trust are : The Trust for Devizes, c/o Wiltshire Museum, Chairman 41 Long St, Acting Hon. Secretary Philippa Morgan [email protected] Devizes, SN10 1NS Hon. Treasurer James Flood [email protected]

www.trustfordevizes.info Editor - Philippa Morgan The Trust is a Registered Charity No 259653 [email protected]