VIBRANT • TREASURED • HISTORIC Town Guide October 2015 - September 2016

www.discovermalmesbury.life Welcome to your Vibrant Treasured and Historic Town Guide Simply unfold and begin to...

VIBRANT • TREASURED • HISTORIC Useful maps, top attractions, festivals, events, culture, fascinating history, suggested walks and much more.

Produced by Malmesbury Town Team in partnership with Malmesbury Town Council

Malmesbury Town Council Charter 880ad

Photos courtesy of Robert Peel • Design by www.frontroommarketing.com Useful Contacts

Tourist Information Centre Lots of useful information and helpful staff with local knowledge. Malmesbury Town Hall, Cross Hayes, SN16 9BZ Tel: 01666 823748

Town Hall Taxis At the heart of Malmesbury Abbey Taxis: Home of Malmesbury Town Council and 01666 826072 hired by clubs, associations, businesses and Peter Woods Taxis: individuals, the Town Hall serves Malmesbury 07730 884807 and parishes beyond. Open for Council business or bookings from 9am until 5pm Monday to Friday, except for Bank Holidays. Malmesbury Town Hall, Cross Hayes, Bus Service Malmesbury, Wiltshire SN16 9BZ. For bus timetables and maps, please visit: Tel: 01666 822143 www.connectingwiltshire.co.uk www.malmesbury.gov.uk

Station Road Car Park The perfect spot to leave your car whether 2 hours it’s just for a couple of hours or the full day. FREE parking in Plus recycling facilities and a great river walk! Station Road car park SN16 9JT

@malmesburylife www.discovermalmesbury.life malmesburylife Get Social!

@malmesburylife

malmesburylife www.discovermalmesbury.life Go Discover! Past As England’s oldest borough and Queen of Hilltop Towns, Malmesbury is rich in history. The skyline, complete with 12th century Abbey is instantly recognisable. Home to kings, flying monks, philosophers and our Warden and Freemen, there’s a lot to discover! Present Full of vibrant energy and well established as home to famous & popular musical, cultural and festival events. A busy calendar and bustling local High Street makes Malmesbury the perfect town for residents and visitors. Future An exciting town with big ideas; new and enterprising concepts are home grown right here. From Dyson HQ to skateboarding in the Abbey, TV show inventors, award winning art projects, start-ups and promising young enterprise – it’s all happening. Festivals and Events

the DATES!Malmesbury Christmas SAVE Late Night Shopping 4 December 2015 BBC www.discovermalmesbury.life History Weekend Malmesbury Abbey Skate Malmesbury 17 - 19 February 2016 15 -18 www.malmesburyabbey.com/ October 2015 skate

www.historyweekend.com Badminton Horse Trials 4 - 8 May 2016 www.badminton-horse.co.uk Cinderella Pantomime 26 - 28 November 2015 The Cotswolds Show www.athelstanplayers.org and Food Festival 2 - 3 July 2016 Westonbirt www.thecotswoldshow.co.uk Enchanted Christmas 27 November to Malmesbury Carnival 20 December 2015 and Festival www.forestry.gov.uk/ July to September 2016 westonbirt-christmas www.malmesburycarnival.co.uk

@malmesburylife malmesburylife Boondocks Check the website for WOMAD information 28 - 31 July 2016 www.theboondocksfestival.co.uk www.womad.co.uk Malmesbury Philosophy Fieldview Festival Festival 4 - 7 August 2016 Check the website for www.fieldviewfestival.co.uk information www.discovermalmesbury.life Regular Events

Movies @ Malmesbury www.malmesbury.gov.uk/ cinema

Malmesbury Malmesbury Abbey Artisan and Farmers’ Music Society Market www.mamsmusic.co.uk Every Friday Malmesbury Acoustics 9am to 3pm - Market Cross www.malmesbury-acoustic- Local & fresh produce, foods and more! sessions.co.uk

Every Friday - Artisan and Farmers’ Market Market Cross 9am to 3pm www.discovermalmesbury.life Top Attractions The Abbey

Market Cross

Abbey House Gardens

Athelstan Museum Need a bed for the night? Accommodation right in the heart of the town. Great for friends, family and visitors. Hotels Bed & Breakfast The Kings Arms 01666 823383 Euclid Villas 01666 822388 The Old Bell Hotel 01666 822344 Kinfield 01666 825041

The Lodge at the Rookery Campsites Burton Hill Caravan 01666 829363 and Camping Park Whychurch Farmhouse 01666 826880

01666 822156 Whychurch Camping 01666 822156 Self-Catering Braxted Cottage 01666 825288 Hungry and searching for somewhere? Eat your heart out with a tasty selection of cafés, pubs, restaurants and takeaways.

The Smoking Dog Pubs & Wine Bars 01666 825823 The Parting Glass The Three Cups 01666 826464 01666 823897 The Rose and Crown The Whole Hog 01666 822575 01666 825845 Cafés Amanda’s Bistro Restaurants 01666 829356 Europa Cuisine 01666 823227 Capers Café & Deli 01666 824744 Rajah 01666 826677 Jackdaws Café 01666 238017 The Birdcage 01666 825505 The Abbey Kitchen 01666 826666 The Kings Arms 01666 823383 The Summer Café 01666 822639 The Old Bell Hotel 01666 822344 Waitrose ‘Eat In’ 01666 825025 The Spice Merchant 01666 823330 Fancy a spot of retail therapy? Retail Therapy hours2 The town centre showcases a collection of unique, FREE independent shops exclusive to Malmesbury plus Food & Drink parking in many High Street names. Leisure & Station Road 22 Halls Cotswold car park • Bakers 30 The Co-operative Food Supermarket Activities 23 Karen’s Sweet Treats 51 The Activity Zone Leisure Centre 45 CH White & Son Gifts, Fashion • • Cycles 24 Leonard Walker • Butchers 46 Game Expert The & Jewellery • Triangle 25 Premier Express ABBEY ROW 1 A.R. Woodward 47 Grant Barnes & Son this way • • Jewellers 26 The Co-operative • Saddlery • Food, High Street 2 Amano 48 Malmesbury 47 • 27 The Old Bakehouse • Pottery 3 ASM Outfitters • 28 • 28 Thomas of 49 Miles Morgan 4 BeauBelle Lingerie • Travel • • Malmesbury 42 5 Boho & Company Butchers 50 The Sports & 43 64 46 • • Leisure Shop he 37 6 Clarks 29 The Wild Food 33 23 • • Company 51 The Activity Zone 4 7 French Grey • Leisure Centre 55 • 30 The Co-operative 25 19 8 Lula & Sailor • Food Supermarket 24 49 • OXFORD STREET 9 Mistral 31 Waitrose 54 MARKET CROSS 63 • • Supermarket 13 Health & Beauty 40 10 Paul Newton 22 • Goldsmith 52 9A Barbers 20 8 Tourist • 52 26 Information 11 Sassy & Boo 53 Boots 12 21 Centre • • 39 35 12 Spoilt For Choice Everything Else 54 Clearcut HIGH STREET 5 56 • 32 A4 Stationers • 38 32 13 The Cherry Tree • 55 Cuttin’Um Palace 18 36 • 33 Cotswold Stitchcraft • 1 14 The Workbox • 56 Glow Holistic & Beauty 41 48 16 • 34 David Brooks • 9 57 Haine and Smith 57 • Antiques 29 • Opticians 27 14 35 E & S Shops 60 58 Hair&Nails@44 6 CROSS HAYES Banks • 36 Flowers Galore • 7 15 15 Barclays • 59 J M Forss Opticians 17 • 37 Great British • 16 HSBC • Gardens 60 Lloyds Pharmacy 11 ST DENNIS ROAD2 • • 53 17 Lloyds 38 H J Knee 61 Salon Hair Design 50 • • • Studio HIGH STREET 39 J & M Flooring 34 • 62 Salon Forty Seven 40 Malmesbury Dry • 44 Charity Stores • Cleaner 63 The Oxford Practice 3 58 • 64 The Hair Studio 18 Cancer Research 41 The George • 62 • • Veterinary Group 19 Dorothy House • Hospice Shop 42 The Grooming Room 45 • 61 20 Oxfam 43• The Old Kit Box 59 • 21• Sue Ryder 44• WH Smith 10

31 Waitrose Supermarket www.discovermalmesbury.life Fascinating History Abbey House Gardens The Abbey With over 1,300 years of history, the first Seen from miles around this 12th century Abbey is the ‘King of all England’ buried somewhere in the jewel of the town with over 65,000 visitors every year. The gardens and two saints thrown down the

impressive architecture, rich history, religious prominence, HRH Queen Elizabeth II visits Malmesbury well, the gardens have many stories to tell. and exciting events calendar make it a popular C800 Tourists and residents alike are drawn to the destination. You’ll even find a Café and Bookshop inside! BC tranquil haven and the rare and beautiful views have given it the reputation as one of 2000

Iron Age hill fort discovered the great gardens of the world. James Dyson sets up HQ

Hannah Twynnoy VIBRANT • TREASURED • HISTORIC 1993 A well-known tale dating back to 1703, Hannah is rumoured to be the first person in Britain to be killed by a tiger after it c.671 2 escaped from a travelling circus. Hannah’s Station Road hours -675 FREE tombstone, found in the Abbey grounds Car Park parking in Station Road records the extraordinary event. car park Abbey’s first Abbot Aldhelm becomes 8

6

he Walter Powell takes off from Cross Hayes in a balloon

9 1881

709 Y St. Aldhelm dies Athelstan Museum 1 Named after the first 'King of all England', Tourist Information Centre Athelstan Museum tells the history of a town built Town Hall & Museum to a Saxon road plan on the site of a 4,500 year

old hill fort and the surrounding area. You’ll find it Malmesbury Railway line opens in our bustling Town Hall.

1877 7 937 10

king of all England Athelstan becomes first The Old Bell Hotel Built to accommodate scholars studying at

the Abbey and reputed to be England’s

oldest hotel, this Grade 1 listed building 4 stands on foundations dating back to 1220. 3 5 2 James Harris made first Earl of Malmesbury Malmesbury Artisan and Farmers’ 1800 1005 Town Hall and homemade wings flight from the Abbey with Elmer the Flying Monk took Market Market Cross Information Centre Dating back to 1490, the Market The Town Hall is a charming and impressive Every Friday Cross stands on an 11th century building dating from the early 19th century, 9am to 3pm - Market Cross graveyard. Intended as a now a great local resource for business, sheltered civic meeting place, the community and council groups alike. Home to Local & fresh produce, foods and more! Market Cross remains a social Movies @ Malmesbury, the Athelstan Museum, centre for events, gatherings and the John Bowen Gallery, Tourist Information a weekly market. Centre and Jackdaws Café. Charles James Fox, becomes Malmesbury’s MP

@malmesburylife malmesburylife Great Walks! 1774 1086 Build your own walk, here’s a few ideas:

Domesday Book list in Wiltshire Malmesbury heads www.discovermalmesbury.life 1• Daniel’s Well 6• War Memorial 2 St Aldhem’s 7 Bowling Green Cotswold Water Park Lydiard House • Mead Park • and Park 8 Conygre Mead South Cerney, GL7 5TL • In the Area Swindon, SN5 3PA 3 Silk Mills • 9• King Athelstan’s 4• St John’s Tomb Dyrham Park Almshouses Roman Amphitheatre 10 Goose Bridge Bowood House Nr Bath, SN14 8HY Cirencester, GL7 1XW • and Gardens 5• St John’s Bridge

Nr Chippenham, SN11 0LZ Hannah Twynnoy killed by a tiger which escaped from a circus 1095 STEAM Museum of the Highgrove Royal Gardens Great Western Railway Tetbury 1703 Malmesbury was born History’, William of The ‘Father of English Swindon, SN2 2EY Castle Combe Village and Race Circuit Nr Chippenham, SN14 7BW Lacock Abbey Stonehenge Wiltshire, SN15 2LG Amesbury, SP4 7DE

City of Bath Longleat House, Safari Westonbirt Aboretum Somerset, BA1 1LY and Adventure Park Gloucestershire, GL8 8QS Warminster, BA12 7NW Visit www.discovermalmesbury.life for more walks. Malmesbury changes hands six times during Civil War

Building at the Abbey The Abbey spire falls Malmesbury Malmesbury Abbey Thomas Hobbes born in 1180 is completed 1480 down 1490 Market Cross built 1539 dissolved by Henry VIII 1588 Westport area of Malmesbury 1643