Wiltshire Council - Wiltshire Community History Get Community Information Condensed View - Comprehensive View Malmesbury This page is one of 261 pages covering every community in Wiltshire, and is provided by Wiltshire Council Libraries and Heritage. A project to provide a fuller picture of each community is in progress, working on the larger communities first. When these 261, which are modern civil parishes, are completed we will begin work on a further 180 villages and hamlets to provide comprehensive coverage of Wiltshire communities large and small. Map of the Civil Parish of Malmesbury: 1890s Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre From the Ordnance Survey 1890s revision of the one inch to one mile map. The modern civil parish boundary has been superimposed.

From Andrews’ and Dury’s Map of Wiltshire, 1773: Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre, Chippenham From Andrews’ and Dury’s Map of Wiltshire, 1810: Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre, Chippenham This is a corrected and updated edition of the 1773 map that includes the recently built canals. Thumbnail History: Malmesbury is an ancient place built on a steep hill almost encircled by the Tetbury and Sherston branches of the River Avon, which unite at the south of the town. The site is easily defended with the older parts of the town being on an outcrop of cornbrash at over 75 metres. Lower parts of the parish are on beds of Kellaway Clay and Oxford Clay. There has long been a tradition of an early defended site here and in 2000 an excavation revealed a section of a substantial Iron Age hill fort with a bank at least 4 metres wide. It would seem that Mailduib, an Irish monk or hermit, settled here and gathered a group of pupils around him.

This may have been the nucleus of the first monastery and it seems likely that the place-name is derived from Mailduib, although it has been suggested that confusion between his name and Aldhelm has resulted in the modern name. Certainly the earlier forms, from reliable 8th century texts, are Maildufi or Maldubiensis. One of Mailduib's pupils was Aldhelm (c.640-709), a Saxon who was a member of the Royal House of Wessex. He took over the monastery and Abbey c.675 and after a visit to Rome the Abbey came under direct Papal jurisdiction. Aldhelm was a learned man, a writer, poet and skilful architect who began the work on the abbey buildings and also founded the church and monastery at Bradford-on-Avon. Around 700 he built what is believed to be the first organ in England at the Abbey. He left Malmesbury in 705 to become Bishop of Sherborne and four years later was buried in his beloved Malmesbury Abbey after his death at Doulting, Somerset. He was later canonised.

A settlement grew around the Abbey and this became a local trading centre by the 9th century. In 730 it was one of four places in Wiltshire listed among the 112 settlements of the Burghal Hidage. These were fortified centres and the town walls of Malmesbury could have extended to 1650 yards in length. Around 878 Malmesbury was sacked by the Danes for the first time but the Abbey was spared. The town recovered and continued to develop and was probably one of the most important in the county by the early 11th century when moneyers were working here. Another national figure connected with Malmesbury was King Athelstan (925-940). He was a great Saxon king and a benefactor of the town. His standard bearer, Godwyn, came from the town and many Malmsburians fought for him in his battles. He endowed the Abbey library and gave common land, the King's Heath, to the freemen in 939, although the charter has been lost.

In the Domesday Book (1085) the town is placed at the head of the Wiltshire entry and has the most detailed description of any Wiltshire community. There are likely to have been 100 households or more and it was one of five mints mentioned in the county. In 1100 the castle of Malmesbury was built by Roger Le Poer, Bishop of Salisbury, close to the west end of the Abbey with the intention of annoying the monks. The castle played an important role in the siege of Malmesbury in 1153 during the civil war between King Stephen and the Empress Maud. The town was held for Stephen but was captured by the Duke of Anjou (later Henry II), Maud's son. Owing to escalating friction between the soldiers and monks it was ordered that the castle be destroyed and much of it was in 1216. There are some remains in, and under, the Bell Hotel. It is likely that a new town wall was built in the 1130s following the line of the earlier defences.

The street plan of the town was established within these by the late 13th century and has remained little changed to this day. There has been much dispute over the claim that Marlborough is the oldest borough in England, dating back to 939, or 880 according to one erroneous writer. What happened was that in 1381 the burgesses sought royal confirmation of various exemptions and privileges that had been granted to them by King Athelstan. The charter they put forward was accepted by the authorities but modern scholars have found it to be a post-conquest forgery. This was a common practice and the earlier a fabricated charter could be dated the better as the clerks who judged it had little experience of Saxon charters. Doubtless Athelstan did give Malmesbury a charter but boroughs as such did not exist until after the Norman Conquest. The early history of Malmesbury can seem a little confusing as there were three separate areas in what is now the town - the Benedictine Abbey, Malmesbury and Westport.

Until the Dissolution of monasteries the Abbey was a separate area owning most of the land around Malmesbury under religious jurisdiction, after which it became part of the borough of Malmesbury. Westport was a separate settlement and parish outside the west gate of Malmesbury, with its own church from Saxon times. It remained separate until 1872 when most of the settlement was assigned to the new Malmesbury urban sanitary district and was included in Malmesbury municipal borough in 1886. The Westport part of the borough became the civil parish of Westport St. Mary Within in 1894 and remained so until 1934 when it was merged with other civil parishes to form a new Malmesbury parish. With three separate administrations there were several markets and fairs. Until 1223 there was a Saturday market at the graveyard of St. Paul's Church but it then moved to the 'new market', which could have been the area where the market cross stands. This stone octagonal cross is late 15th century, is 41 feet high and is one of the finest in England.

The market around the cross ceased in c.1890. A Thursday market for Westport was granted in 1252 and both the Triangle and Horsefair in Westport could have been the sites of markets and fairs. Malmesbury Abbey was granted a 3 day fair, later extended to 8 days, around St. Aldhelm's day in May by William I, while in 1252 there was a fair of St. James (25th July) on their Whitchurch manor. This abundance of markets and fairs would seem to indicate a prosperous and thriving community that was at the centre of a fair-sized farming area. Other fairs were added by a borough charter of 1635 for March, April and October. Certain areas were known by the names of these fairs - Horsefair and Sheepfair (now the Triangle) - and there was a separate cattle market area. Although Malmesbury's importance as a market town became less over the centuries it remained one until the 20th century, with the Cross Hayes being used as a market place when the earlier market area proved too small. The Abbey and monastery continued to exercise a great influence over the town.

Apart from its abbots and a cellarer called Faritius, who had great medical skill and became Abbot of Abingdon, one of the best known of its people was William of Malmesbury. He was born near the end of the 11th century and died around 1143, and became librarian of the fine library of the Abbey. He collected many other books for the library and wrote several himself including ones on the histories of kings and bishops. He was a good Latin scholar and his style is vivid and interesting. Much of our knowledge of the late Saxon period is the result of his writings. The Abbey had been completed in the reign of Henry II in the latter half of the 12th century and remained little altered until the second half of the 13th century. There were also several other small religious buildings - hospitals, almshouses and chapels - in the town. A very energetic abbot, William of Colerne, made many alterations and improvements, built new buildings and provided the monastery with a water supply via a 3 1/2 mile conduit in 1284.

Extensive alterations were carried out in the 14th century and an ill-conceived centrol tower was built over the two western bays of the nave. This fell around 1660 wrecking the western end of the church. On the dissolution in 1539 the Abbey was bought by the clothier William Stumpe. The production of woollen cloth was the chief industry of the town in medieval times and in 1542 John Leland reported that 3,000 cloths a year were woven here. Stumpe housed up to 20 looms in the monastic buildings and was instrumental in the town acquiring the Abbey church to use as a parish church. The cloth industry remained important until the mid 17th century but then declined and ceased c.1750. It was revived c.1790 and a new mill, Burton Hill Mill, was built outside the urban area. It was originally water-powered but had a steam engine by 1838 and continued with cloth production until the 1840s. The mill was converted to silk production c.1850 with 56 power looms.

It closed soon after 1900 but re-opened in 1923 and continued in operation until c.1950. It has now been converted to residential use. Leather working had also been a prominent industry in medieval times and gloving was also an early industry. Apart from these the other local industries were those typical of a small market town. Malmesbury saw a fair amount of action during the Civil War. In 1642 it was apparently on the Parliamentary side but submitted to the Royalists on 3rd February 1643. On 23rd March it was taken by Sir William Waller for the Parliamentarians but their new governor, Sir Edward Hungerford, changed sides and surrendered the town to the Royalists on 5th April. It may have changed hands twice more before it was recaptured for Parliament on 24th May 1644 and a garrison of 1,000 was there until late 1646.

The effects of these continued sieges and occupations would have been traumatic for both townspeople and local country dwellers and many buildings in Westport, including the church, also suffered as this was the only route by which the town could be attacked. A splendid 'birds eye' view of the walled town was drawn in 1646 and a limited edition of 175 copies in colour was produced in 1995. Malmesbury was of some strategic importance, being on the route from Oxford to Bristol and the west, and parts of its castle and most of the town walls were still standing. Another major routeway was southwards to Chippenham, along a route that was called the Kingsway c.1100. The road northwards to Cirencester went via Tetbury until 1788 when the present, more direct, route was turnpiked. The road to Wootton Bassett and Swindon is recorded in 1773 but was doubtless in existence much earlier. It was turnpiked in 1809. Malmesbury is believed to be unique in having two Corporations, the Old and the New.

The Old originates in those freemen to whom the King's Heath was given and consisted of Commoners who elected a High Steward. The Old Corporation also chose the members of Parliament from 1295 until 1832, by which time it had become one of the more notorious rotten boroughs. In 1886 Malmesbury was incorporated as a municipal borough and the New Corporation took over the running of the borough while administration of many of the local charities was left with the Old Corporation who also continued with their role with King's Heath. From the 18th century the town has been mainly a local centre for commerce, manufacture and administration. During this period one of the chief occupations was lace, which was made at home. This declined in the 19th century owing to factory competition but women and children were still making pillow lace at home throughout that century. There was a revival after 1900 under the Countess of Suffolk and a lace-making school opened. Most lace production ceased after 1914 however. The 19th century saw an increase in population, although this was largely a case of more people in the same small area, and the usual introduction of modern services.

A gasworks was proposed in 1835 and was started in 1848 as the Malmesbury Gas & Coke Co. It was taken over by the South Western Gas Board in 1866. A public cemetery was opened in 1884. Electricity became generally available through the Western Electricity Distributory Corporation in 1923. The Malmesbury Water Works Co. Ltd. had built a pumping house c.1864 and a water tower around the same date. The waterworks were transferred to the borough in 1900. A railway line had been proposed in 1864 but Malmesbury did not have a rail link until 1877 when a branch line from the Great Western Railway line at Dauntsey was opened. A small station was built to the north of the Abbey church. The passenger service ceased in 1951 but a freight service continued until 1963 when the station was closed. In the 20th century the town has expanded greatly beyond the old line of its town walls in the former parish of Westport, which is the only area of fairly level ground around the old town.

The borough council built many houses between 1931 and 1956 and continued until 1972. Developments in the last quarter of the century were almost entirely private including an estate of 300 houses at Reed's Farm. In 1973 the town was relieved of some traffic when a bypass was built for the Chippenham to Cirencester road to the east of the town. The medieval streets are now protected by a 20 m.p.h. speed limit but, like most old towns, the streets are full of vehicles. New industries have come to Malmesbury. Just before the Second World War E.K. Cole Ltd., later EKCO, relocated to Malmesbury, making radios and electrical and electronic equipment. They were absorbed in the Pye Group in 1963 but continued production in the town. In 1941 Linolite Ltd. set up in the town making light fittings and other electrical components. They became a subsidiary of the General Electric and Electronics Corporation. A more recent arrival has been the inventor James Dyson who has built an award-winning factory at Tetbury Hill and whose companies employ over 4,000 people.

Much of the production is now (2003) likely to be relocated overseas. Today Malmesbury is a magnet for tourists. Situated on the fringe of the Cotswolds its Abbey, early buildings and narrow streets are a considerable attraction. A range of establishments is available to serve the visitors and these include many of the early inns and public houses. One of the earliest surviving is the King's Arms, open in the late 17th century and named for the restoration of Charles II. A landlord at the turn of the century was so well-known that letters addressed to 'Harry Jones, England' or merely with a drawing of his trademark top hat were correctly delivered. The Old Bell was known as the Castle, on whose site it stands, in 1703 and the Bell by 1798. Other settlements in the parish include Burton Hill, which has long been a small suburb of the town and included, in the 13th century, the hospital of St. Mary Magdalene. Houses for workers in the new mill were built here in the late 18th early 19th centuries. Cowbridge in the 18th century consisted only of a mill and a large house.

Cowbridge House was rebuilt in 1853. Milbourne was a settlement in the Middle Ages and in the 17th and 18th centuries comprised farmsteads along the village street. There was little building in the 19th century and most other houses here date from the second half of the 20th century. Council BBC - History - Ancient History in depth: Malmesbury: England's Oldest Borough Print this page Malmesbury Abbey On the northern borders of Wiltshire stands the small market town of Malmesbury. Its origins date back to the middle of the sixth century, after the Saxons wrested final control over this part of the country from the Britons. Malmesbury is the oldest borough in England, with a charter given by Alfred the Great around 880. According to the 16th-century writer, Leland: 'The toun of Malmesbyri stondith on the very toppe of a greate slaty rok, and ys wonderfully defended by nature'. And indeed, the river Avon and a tributary almost completely surround the town, forming a perfect natural defence system.

The town is dominated by the now ruined abbey at its centre. Only a third of the abbey has survived, but in the Middle Ages the building had a tall central spire, reaching 7m (23ft) higher than Salisbury Cathedral's 123m- (404ft) high spire. ...in the Middle Ages the building had a tall central spire... Malmesbury Abbey's founder, Maidulph, died in 675. At this time Aldhelm, a Saxon by birth and related to King Ine of Wessex, took over the leadership of the borough, and under him the town grew in stature and importance. Around 700, Aldhelm built the first organ in England, which was described as a 'mighty instrument with innumerable tones, blown with bellows, and enclosed in a gilded case', and he is also credited with other churches in the area, including the one at Bradford-on-Avon, which stands to this day. He died in 709 and was canonised, and he has been known ever after as St Aldhelm.

Top King Athelstan and William of Malmesbury Athelstan's tomb Malmesbury Abbey © Perhaps the most important of Malmesbury's benefactors was the first king of all England - Alfred the Great's grandson, Athelstan. He reigned between 925 and 940. Athelstan was a distinguished and courageous soldier who pushed the boundaries of the kingdom further than anyone had done before. In 927 he took York from the Danes and forced the submission of King Constantine of Scotland and of the northern kings. All five of the Welsh kings agreed to pay a huge annual tribute to him, and he also eliminated opposition in Cornwall. In 937, at the battle of Brunanburh, Athelstan led a force drawn from Britain and defeated an invasion by the king of Scotland in alliance with the Welsh and Danes from Dublin. Athelstan was a collector of artworks and religious relics, which he often gave away to churches to gain their support. Under Athelstan, law codes strengthened royal control over his large kingdom. Currency was regulated to control silver's weight and to penalise fraudsters. Buying and selling was largely confined to the burhs, encouraging town life.

Areas of settlement in the Midlands and Danish towns were consolidated into shires. Overseas, Athelstan built alliances by marrying off four of his half-sisters to various rulers in western Europe. He was also a great collector of artworks and religious relics, which he gave away to many of his followers, and to churches in order to gain the support of the clergy. Athelstan died in 940 at the height of his power, and was buried in Malmesbury Abbey. He had been an ardent supporter and endower of the Abbey, and it is fitting that he should be buried there. Another famous son of Malmesbury was the great historian William of Malmesbury (1095-1143). He was educated at the now famous abbey school. William's approach to writing history was quite different from that of his medieval counterparts, and much more like the approach of a modern scholar. He paid great attention to accuracy and detail, and used eyewitness accounts and solid documentary evidence to support his arguments.

One of William's stories was about an 11th-century monk called Elmer, who made himself a pair of wings and jumped from the tower of Malmesbury Abbey, flying about 200 metres (220 yards) before crashing and seriously injuring himself. Elmer, Aldhelm and William of Malmesbury are all remembered in the stained glass at the Abbey, in a room now used for storage. GENUKI: Malmesbury, Wiltshire We are in the process of upgrading the site to implement a content management system. Malmesbury Societies "MALMESBURY, a parish, post and market town, municipal and parliamentary borough, having separate jurisdiction, but locally in the hundred of Malmesbury, county Wilts, 42 miles N. of Salisbury, 94 W. of London, and 7 W. of the Minety station on the Great Western railway. It is situated on elevated ground on the river Avon, over which there are six bridges. The converging branches of the river partly encircle the town, uniting at its southern extremity, where they form the Lower Avon.

It is stated by Leland to have been an ancient British town, called Caer Bladon; but the earliest historical mention is of the middle of the 7th century, when a fortress existed here called Ingelburne. It was subsequently famed for its mitred Benedictine abbey, founded on the site of the hermitage of St. Mailduff and Aldhelm, hence called Mealdelmesbyrig by Bishop Leutherius of Winchester, in 675. Buildings gradually arose round the abbey, forming a town which was chartered by Edward the Elder, and was endowed by Athelstan with the common called King's Heath. It continued to flourish, notwithstanding the ravages of the Danes, and, at the time of the Conquest, was one of the most important places in Wilts. A castle was built here by Bishop Roger, of Salisbury, in Henry I.'s time, which was taken by Stephen, and again, in 1152, by Prince Henry, afterwards Henry II., who laid siege to this fortress, and took it after an obstinate defence.

The abbot was made a mitred parliamentary baron by Edward III., and the revenue of the abbey at the Dissolution was £803 17s. 7d. The town, which gives title of earl and baron to the Harrises of Great Durnford, was garrisoned in the Civil War for Charles I., and was twice taken by the parliamentary army. Under the Charter of Incorporation, confirmed by William III. in 1696, it is governed by a high steward, an alderman, and 12 capital burgesses. It returned two members to parliament from Edward I.'s time, but, since the Reform Act, it returns but one, the right of election being extended to the £10 householders of an enlarged district. The town is well lighted with gas, and was paved under authority of an Act of Parliament obtained in 1798. It consists of a principal street, called High-street, which is crossed at the top by Oxfordstreet and Gloucester-street, the latter leading to the parish of Westport St. Mary.

It contains two banks, a savings-bank, townhall, and a spacious market-place, in which is an octangular market cross, erected in the reign of Henry VII., and ornamented with flying buttresses, pinnacles, and an octangular central turret. A brisk trade was formerly carried on in woollen cloth, but is now decayed. There are breweries, tanyards, and a newly-established, ribbon manufactory; pillow lace is also made by the women and children. Malmesbury Common, or King's Heath, which was given to the town by King Athelstan, was enclosed under an Act of Parliament, passed in 1826, which entitles every freeman in the borough to one allotment, and to every capital burgess from 8 to 15 acres. The loftiest point of the common is Shade Hill. The town is a polling-place for North Wiltshire, and petty sessions for the hundred of Malmesbury are held here once a month. The outlying portions of the new borough are chiefly in meadow and pasture, with a small proportion of rich arable land. The old borough comprises parts of the parishes of St. Paul, St.

Mary Westport, and the Abbey district. The living of St. Paul's is a discharged vicarage, valued in the king's books at £8 2s. 1½d. The church is dilapidated, but the tower, surmounted by a lofty spire, is still standing, and contains the bells, rung on public festivals. The living of St. Mary is a vicarage* with the perpetual curacies of Rodborne and Corston annexed, in the diocese of Gloucester and Bristol, joint value £265, in the patronage of the lord chancellor. The church dedicated to St. Mary is supposed to have been built by Bishop Roger of Salisbury, and formerly belonged to the abbey. That part only is used which was given to the town by William Stumps, the wealthy clothier, by whom it was purchased at the Dissolution. This portion consists of the W. front, nave, and its aisles, part of the transepts, and the decorated south porch, containing the figures of the Twelve Apostles-in flne preservation. About thirty years since the whole fabric was substantially repaired and the vaulted roof restored.

The interior is handsomely fitted up, and over the altar is a painting representing Christ raising Lazarus, which was presented by the Earl of Suffolk. There are chapels-of-ease at Corston and Rodborne. The parochial charities produce about £216 per annum. There are almshouses endowed with £20 per annum, National and infant schools, besides private and endowed schools. The Independents, Moravians, Baptists, Wesleyans, and Calvinistic Methodists have places of worship. Near Westport Church stands the house where Thomas Hobbs, the famed philosopher, resided. He was a native of this place, as was also Mrs. Mary Chandler the poetess, and William of Malmesbury, the celebrated English historian of the reign of Stephen. At King's Walls Roman coins and triangular bricks have been found, with traces of Bishop Roger's town wall. The poorhouse for the Malmesbury Poor-law Union, which embraces 25 parishes in Wilts, is situated on the road to Sheraton, on the site of ground where formerly stood a convent of the Knights Hospitallers. In this building, of which some small portions remain, Henry VIII.

was entertained by Stumps, the wealthy clothier, and Charles I. dined in 1643. Lord Northwick is lord of the manor. A small market for general provisions is held on Saturday, and markets for cattle on the last Tuesdays in every month, except March, April, and May. Annual fairs for horses, cattle, and sheep, are held on the 28th March, 28th April, 5th June and 15th December." [Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868) - Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003] Malmesbury or Malmsbury is a borough 42 miles North of Salisbury. Grid Ref ST930873. Postcode SN16 0BY. Population 2,293 in 1831, 2,510 in 1951. Category:Malmesbury, Wiltshire - Wikimedia Commons Category:Malmesbury, Wiltshire Jump to: navigation , search Deutsch: Malmesbury ist eine altertümliche Stadt in Wiltshire , England und liegt am Fluss Avon .

Die Einwohnerzahl beträgt 4631 (Stand: 2001). English: Malmesbury is a south Cotswold town and civil parish in south west England in the county of Wiltshire . The town is close to Cirencester , Chippenham and Swindon and surrounded by rivers on three sides. Euskara: Malmesbury Ingalaterrako Wiltshire konderriko iparraldean dagoen hiri bat da. Cirencester , Chippenham eta Swindonetik gertu dago. 5000 bat biztanle ditu. Français : Malmesbury est une petite ville du Wiltshire , dans le sud-ouest de l'Angleterre. Elle est célèbre pour son abbaye du dont seule une partie subsiste. Italiano: Malmesbury è un paese di 4.631 abitanti della contea del Wiltshire , in Inghilterra .

Nederlands: Malmesbury is een plaats en civil parish in de unitary authority Wiltshire , in het Engelse graafschap Wiltshire . De civil parish telt De stad ligt dicht bij Cirencester , Chippenham en Swindon en wordt langs drie zijden door rivieren omgeven. Malmesbury geldt als de oudste borough van Engeland en is ook de oudste steeds bewoonde stad van Engeland . Malmesbury is bekend om zijn abdij uit de 12e eeuw . Adelmus was er de eerste abt . De stad heeft grotendeels zijn historisch karakter en charme behouden. Norsk bokmål: Malmesbury er en by i det nordvestlige Wiltshire i England . Den ligger i nærheten av Cirencester , Chippenham og Swindon , og grenser mot elver på tre sider. Den ble antagelig grunnlagt i 1. århundre f.Kr. .

Polski: Malmesbury - małe miasto w południowo-zachodniej Anglii , w hrabstwie Wiltshire . Zgodnie ze spisem ludności przeprowadzonym w 2001 roku liczba mieszkańców wyniosła 4631 osoby. Português: Malmesbury é uma cidade no sul da Inglaterra. Malmesbury Area Board | Wiltshire Council Malmesbury Area Board Customer notice We are currently updating our website with a cleaner, mobile-friendly design. This page will be updated with the new design soon. Thank you for your patience. Please tell us what you think about our website, we welcome your feedback.

Latest news Meeting dates for Malmesbury Find out about the Area board meeting dates for up-to-date session times, meeting locations, agendas and previous minutes The Malmesbury community area includes the parishes of; Ashton Keynes, Brinkworth, Brokenborough, Charlton, Crudwell, Dauntsey, Easton Grey, Great Somerford, Hankerton, Lea and Cleverton, Leigh, Little Somerford, Luckington and Alderton, Malmesbury, Minety, Norton and Foxley, Oaksey, Sherston, Sopworth and St Paul Malmesbury Without Malmesbury Issues Sheet Malmesbury issues sheet 51kb - a Word version you can save on your computer, send by email and print off. Please only use this version if you do not have easy access to the internet Issues tracking What is being done about the communities issues? Funding If you are a community enthusiast, community group, voluntary group, town council or parish council looking to fund a community project in Wiltshire during 2015, then you may be eligible for a community area grant.

Deadline dates for receipt of grant applications 25 September 2015 for consideration at 4 November 2015 area board meeting 27 November 2015 for consideration at 13 January 2016 area board meeting 22 January 2016 for consideration at 2 March 2016 area board meeting Community news Interested in local news and events? Why not sign up to our weekly newsletter for Malmesbury and the surrounding villages and keep up to date with everything going on in your community.

Our Community Matters - Malmesbury and villages - this site has been set up to provide local people with an interactive notice board everyone can use to promote news, events, ideas and discuss issues Our Community Matters - Malmesbury Malmesbury and the Villages Community Plan Malmesbury and Villages Community Area Partnership Highways information Malmesbury Community Area JSA Agreed Priorities Malmesbury Community Area JSA Agreed Priorities 356kb On 7 May 2014 Malmesbury area board agreed to focus on priorities for Health and Wellbeing and Leisure during 2014/15 and to co-ordinate a simple mapping process against the top priorities identified at the JSA event, to identify what is currently being done to address all priorities. Cllr John Thomson agreed to champion developing alternative community transport options. Other useful information Community Pay Back scheme Cowbridge to Malmesbury working group A community consultation on Cowbridge to Malmesbury footpath and cycle route took place on 27 and 28 November 2013 in Malmesbury Town Hall and at Cowbridge.

If you were unable to join us please take an opportunity to look at the proposals Wiltshire - An Ancient County Wiltshire Wiltshire The Ancient County To the historically minded visitor Wiltshire is not so much a county but a treasure trove. One of England's largest counties, it's been inhabited for thousands of years. Its chalk downlands are home to world-famous prehistoric monuments like Stonehenge or the huge Stone Age city of Avebury. But the county has more to offer than stone circles. One of England's most beautiful cathedrals can be found in Salisbury, along with the ruins of William the Conqueror's great castle, Old Sarum. Bradford-on-Avon is home to a wonderful, unaltered Anglo-Saxon church and the small town of Wilton was once Alfred the Great's capital city - and the place that gave the county its name. Grand houses and beautiful gardens and parks dot the county's predominantly rural landscape. But even here, the industrial revolution has left its mark. If you like narrowboats, you can take to the Kennet and Avon canal and climb the 29 locks of Caen Hill.

And if steam trains are your passion, then Swindon is the place to start your exploration. Come and discover... you won't be disappointed by this ancient county. Travel Tips With good transport links both by rail and road, the county makes an ideal destination for a weekend break or a longer driving holiday. Find out about the weather, getting around, where to stay and where to eat. And try some of our driving tours that take in ancient monuments and picturesque scenery. Wiltshire History For the history buff, this is a wonderful place to be. Read about the various historical periods and the events that have left their mark on the county. Prehistoric Wiltshire The county is justly famous for its ancient monuments: Stonehenge , Silbury Hill and Avebury , the hill forts, burial grounds and famous White Horses. Anglo-Saxon Wiltshire Once the heartland of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex, this county has many monuments and even a few traditions surviving from that time. Explore Wilton, Malmesbury, Marlborough and - of course - Bradford-on-Avon.

Norman Wiltshire Most of the county changed hands after the Norman Conquest , but due to the Domesday book we know quite well how the folk here lived at that time. And it was in Old Sarum in 1086 that all English landowners were required to swear an oath of allegiance to William the Conqueror . Go and stand in the place where it happened! Medieval Wiltshire Salisbury Cathedral holds a copy of the Magna Carta, signed by King John in 1215. Looking at that document made me wonder what the king felt before he put his name and seal to the parchment. Many of the county's medieval monuments have been lost - to rebuilding works, to the Reformation, to the Civil War. But some, like the copy of the Magna Carta, or Laycock Abbey are still around to be enjoyed. Modern Wiltshire After the Middle Ages progress arrived here. Grand Houses were built and grand abbeys and churches destroyed. The Civil War left its mark on Marlborough, Devizes and Old Wardour. Wonderful landscape gardens were created, along with canals and steam railways. Towns and Villages Here you'll find portraits of towns and villages.

It matters little if they're large or small, busy or quiet. If they have something to offer the visitor, we'll seek them out. First up is the beautiful village of Castle Combe , whose ancient streets and houses are beloved by film makers Wiltshire Attractions There's much to do here even if history is not your first love. Wide open spaces lend themselves to all manner of wonderful exploits from balloon flights to kite-flying, gliding or long walks on the Downs. See a different side of Castle Combe when you visit the motor racing circuit, try driving a steam train, unravel the mysteries of crop circles or just while the time away with a pleasant lunch in one of Wiltshire's many tiny villages. Malmesbury, Wiltshire - SN16 - Malmesbury: A Brief History A Brief History Community Portal for Malmesbury and its Surrounding Villages News Roundup (2 votes) Malmesbury before St. Aldhelm (500BC – 675AD) Malmesbury has a history dating back to around 500 BC, at which point the first mentions of the settlement of ‘Caer Bladon’ are made.

This translates to mean ‘fortified place (or ‘stronghold’) on the Bladon’, with ‘Bladon’ referring to what we now recognise as the River Avon. Use of this early term suggests, and archaeological digs have since proven, that the site has been continuously inhabited since the Iron Age. Moving into the early AD centuries, we initially see Malmesbury becoming part of Wessex (an Anglo-Saxon kingdom belonging to the West Saxons located in South-West England) after a Saxon invasion in about 570. Soon, Christianity reached the site of Malmesbury. The earliest recorded religious leader to settle in Malmesbury was Maildulph, a 7th century Irish-Celt monk who founded a Hermits Cell on the site of the present Abbey in around the year 600. He went on to become a famous religious teacher, founding a small monastery school for sons of the nobility. He either retired or died around 675.

Malmesbury’s rise to prominence: Aldhelm and Athelstan (675 – 940) Maildulph’s successor, Aldhelm, is much more famous and central to the development of Malmesbury. Saxon by birth and possibly closely related to the Kings of Wessex, Aldhelm reputedly became the first Abbot of Malmesbury Abbey. His royal connections gave him control of the surrounding villages and his close connections to the Pope saw the Abbey being placed under papal jurisdiction, a high honour. He became Bishop of Sherborne, with a diocese extending through Wiltshire, Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall. As an individual, Aldhelm was well respected and loved by the local community. Local stories tell of Aldhelm playing music and attracting large audiences, who he would then tell stories of the life of Jesus, inspiring devotion. He was well educated; speaking both Greek and Latin. It is also said that he was a skilful architect, great scholar and good technician and that in around 700; he built the first organ in England in the Abbey.

On his death (c.709-710), Aldhelm’s remains were carried to be buried in Malmesbury. Here his remains were enshrined, making Malmesbury an important focus for pilgrimage. A feast and fair were held in his honour at St. Aldhelm’s Mead, a tradition that continued for 840 years (until 1540, when it was discontinued due to rioting and debauchery). Aldhelm was later canonised as a Saint in 1080. Another important development for Malmesbury was the granting of its Charter in 924 during the reign of Edward the Elder (901-925). Malmesbury was known for its active fighting men, which is likely the key reason the town was given the Charter. King Athelstan, born in 895, was central to Malmesbury’s development and rise to fame. He was the first king of all ‘England’ and the first to introduce a common currency; silver coins were imprinted with his head. He proved to be an effective king and was also aware that law should be made specific for certain areas.

He introduced ‘shrievalty’ which appointed shire reeves (or ‘sheriffs’) to act as important officials overseeing the shire or county. He also increased his powerbase by marrying his sisters to influential Europeans, with the precious jewels and sacred relics from these dowries often being kept in Malmesbury Abbey. Athelstan showed real affection for Malmesbury, especially towards its people who had helped him in battles. As a result, in 937 he started the ‘Commoners of Kings Heath’ or the ‘Old Corporation’. Through this he gave those that had helped him in battle land from Kings Heath, which continues to be passed down through the descendents of these freemen to this day. Upon his death in 940, Athelstan was buried in Malmesbury Abbey, but his remains have since been moved. From Flying Monk to William Stumpe (1010 – 1490) The next figure of note in Malmesbury’s history was Eilmer, a monk of Malmesbury Abbey who in circa 1010 attempted to fly from the top of the Abbey using a ‘glider’ he had fashioned for himself.

He managed to fly for just over 200m in active flight before falling and breaking both of his legs. He wished to try again but the Abbot refused to allow him and he returned to his talents in astronomy, living to a good age. His attempted flight makes him the first recorded aeronaut in the world. Our knowledge of Eilmer owes much to another prominent character in Malmesbury’s history, William of Malmesbury. One of the greatest historians of his time and sometimes referred to as the ‘Father of English History’, William was a Benedictine monk who resided in Malmesbury Abbey as its librarian. William was born half-Norman, half-Saxon and spent most of his childhood and adult life in Malmesbury. He was educated at Malmesbury Abbey where he spent most of his time in the library, helping to make it one of the finest in Europe. It is said that even the Pope used to borrow books from there. He had a good grasp of Latin and travelled a good deal, but his greatest quality was his love of truth and accuracy.

He ensured we have a fine collection of Saxon history, especially concerning Kings and Prelates, and is responsible for the only known authentic account of the First Crusade. William died at some point between 1143 and 1148. William must have lived through a time of significant changes to Malmesbury, the present Abbey Church was completed by 1180, but must have been a work in progress many years prior to this. William also provides us with some information about a less well known Malmesbury landmark. In circa 1118, a castle at Malmesbury was built by Roger le Poer (Bishop of Salisbury). The chosen location was to the West of the Abbey, in close proximity to the Monastery, and its location quickly created friction with the monks. The Abbot was given papal authority to excommunicate members of the castle garrison for their ‘depredations on the Abbey’ and for interfering with their water supply. Despite its unpopularity, the castle played a key role in the 12th century.

The siege of Malmesbury in 1153 saw the castle playing a vital role in the conflict between King Stephen and the challenger to the throne, Henry, the Duke of Anjou. One section of the defences, known as ‘Jordan’s Tower’, managed to hold out for an extended period of time, but fell after a long siege. In 1215, the Abbot of Malmesbury Abbey sent a plea to King John to remove the castle. He obliged and the structure was demolished after existing for no more than 100 years. The Old Bell Hotel, potentially occupying the location of the old castle, has origins dating back to around 1220, when a new building was erected on the site to house important guests. The fireplace inside the Great Hall dates from this period and it contains paintings from the late medieval period. The building has also been open as a pub since at least 1703, originally known as the Castle, acquiring the name the Bell Hotel in 1798. During this period, the present Abbey building was also completed.

It is believed that its consecration service was in about 1180, after only about 35 years of being under construction. The layout chosen was typical of other major 11th and 12th century churches, especially in France. Over the next couple of centuries, the Abbey saw further improvements, most notably the building of the Abbey cloisters and the Abbey spire, which was the tallest of its kind in England and 30 feet taller than the Salisbury spire. In about 1490, the Market Cross was built in Malmesbury, and remains one of the town’s most distinguishable features. It was built as a place of shelter and a meeting place for special occasions, and was commissioned as a joint venture between the Abbot and the town Burgesses (townspeople or ‘people of the borough’). A Time for Change: William Stumpe and Thomas Hobbes (1497-1679) With the Dissolution of the Monasteries came a new era in Malmesbury’s history, beginning with the role of William Stumpe.

A wealthy clothier, Stumpe was famous in Malmesbury for his ownership of much of the Abbey properties and the changes he made to the town’s trade. He became prominent in the area from 1540 onwards, when he obtained the Abbey buildings and associated lands from King Henry VIII. His acquisition of the Abbey lands and property saw some buildings becoming workshops, and the cloth trade flourished, gaining a reputation throughout Europe for its excellence. Stumpe also represented Malmesbury at parliamentary level, first from 1529-36 and then from 1547-52. He was also respected in Malmesbury for giving the townspeople back their parish church in 1541, and helped raise funds to preserve the Abbey as best he could. When he died, Stumpe left a huge fortune and multiple properties and holdings to his family. Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, one of the most famous English philosophers renowned for his work on political philosophy, was born prematurely in the Westport area of Malmesbury in 1588.

He spent the first 14 years of his life in Malmesbury, attending Westport Church School and growing up as part of the Malmesbury community. At 14, he then left for Oxford to continue his education. His family remained in the same household in Westport, and Hobbes returned to visit Malmesbury on multiple occasions throughout his life. Civil War, Tigers and Foxes (1642 – 1806) When the English Civil War broke out in 1642, it had far reaching implications, even for the smallest of settlements. Malmesbury was no exception; the settlement was in fact of great strategic importance due to its location between Oxford and Bristol. Throughout the course of the war, Malmesbury changed hands at least five times, twice involving direct assaults on the town itself. The first assault on Malmesbury took place on 21st March 1643, where a force under the command of the parliamentarian, Sir William Waller, took the settlement with relative ease, his force sustaining only three casualties. Waller attacked through Westport, usually considered to be a weak point in the otherwise naturally well defended town.

The second assault was altogether more aggressive. On 24th May 1644, Colonel Massey, another parliamentarian, attacked Malmesbury with troops and artillery, again choosing Westport as the main area to attack. A vivid description of the battle has survived the years and it appears that once the bloody conflict had ended, Massey refrained from plundering the town. As far as Malmesbury was concerned, the conclusion of this battle marked the end of its direct role in the Civil War. Jumping ahead a few decades, we come across Hannah Twynnoy, a maid working at the White Lion Inn during the early 18th century, famous for her unusual death. When a travelling circus came to visit in the town, it brought with it a tiger which Hannah reputedly teased, despite warnings from its keeper. It eventually broke free from its shackles and killed her. Her grave can be seen in the Abbey grounds. Charles James Fox, a prominent British Whig statesman notable for his strong support for the colonists over the issue of the American Colonies, held the seat of High Steward of the Old Corporation, in the years between 1769 and 1775.

He also represented Malmesbury at parliamentary level for the earlier part of this period, but his resignation over the issue of tea duty meant he never represented Malmesbury again. Industrial and Social development in a Market Town: The Silk Mills, Malmesbury Branch Line and The Triangle (1600 – 1962) The Avon Mill site is best known for its previous 19th century Silk Mills but has been the site of a mill since the 13th century. In about 1600, Avon Mill became a fulling mill (process during which cloth was thickened and shrunk by pounding it in a solution of fullers earth), but ceased to have such a role in 1622. A century later, the woollen industry in Malmesbury as a whole had closed down. In 1852 it was bought by silk manufacturers. Silk ribbons were very much in demand in the Victorian era and at its peak the factory employed around 400 people. The business failed in 1899, but was reopened and by 1900 there were 150 workers.

The mill was forced to close yet again that year, but as before it reopened, this time in the early 1920’s by Avon Silk Mills Co. Ltd. Silk production continued until 1941. In 1984 both of the main buildings were converted into flats. Malmesbury lace was also once central to Malmesbury’s economy. Renowned nationwide for its quality and unique characteristics, the earliest record of lacemaking in the Malmesbury area dates back to the English Civil War (1642-48). Lacemaking became even more prominent after Charles II’s 1672 declaration allowing Dutch artisans to settle in England. Many of these individuals settled in Wiltshire and Dutch influence certainly had a refining impact on lacemaking. By 1795, Malmesbury inhabitants claimed they could earn more by lacemaking than they could by working at a factory. However, by 1826 the hand lace industry was declining, due to the introduction of machinery. Whereas in 1851 Malmesbury had 150 adult lacemakers, by 1881 it had only 11.

There were attempts to revive the practice, namely by Lady Suffolk, who in 1907 realised that lacemaking in Malmesbury was in danger of disappearing. She set up a lace school in the Kings Arms Hotel, which saw children and young women from a wide area joining. By 1908 it had 30 pupils and two teachers. It is unknown when the class closed but it was before the 1920’s, when the Kings Arms changed hands. Another important development in the 19th century was the railway in Britain, which had an enormous impact nationwide. Malmesbury was at first ignored by early rail development, the first scheme suggested in 1845 was rejected by landowners, but a few decades later a branch line was developed. On 17th December 1877, the Malmesbury Branch Line and station had its grand opening. The impact on trade was immediately noticeable; Malmesbury’s market prospered and saw its best attendance in 30 years in February 1878.

The railway was well utilised in both of the world wars, the first saw large numbers of troops travelling through the town and the second saw significant numbers of refugees coming to Malmesbury. Despite its usage though, the railway closed down, first to passengers in 1951 and then to goods in 1962. An area that has undergone constant changes in Malmesbury is The Triangle, which used to be the location of a bustling market. The First World War Memorial located at the Triangle was dedicated in March 1921, and remembers 74 men, including one civilian. The site of the Three Cups Inn has been occupied by a pub since the 15th century, with the present building dating back to the 17th century. In its earlier history, Elizabethan cloth and yarn traders would stay here and in March 1643, it was reputedly the headquarters of General Waller when he was besieging the town. By 1930, Stroud Brewery had renovated the pub, installing electric lights.

Malmesbury during the Second World War (1939-1945) Two locations in Malmesbury had a particularly key role in the Second World War. The first, Cowbridge House, has seen varied roles throughout its 250 year history, but significantly at the end of August 1939, the Electrical Appliances Division of E.K. Cole Ltd., was instructed by the RAF to establish a ‘shadow factory’ to produce radio equipment. More specifically, Cowbridge House helped to develop radar for the Allies to utilise in the Second World War. Unknown to the residents of Malmesbury and the 1,000 or so employees working at the factory, they were at the cutting edge of wartime technological development. The second location, the site where The Maltings is now located, was home to Linolite Ltd. in 1941. The company had patented a tubular electric lamp in 1901, obtaining the name Linolite Ltd. in 1933.

The company specialised in filament strip lights but during the Second World War they became the main supplier of hose clips for bomber aircraft de-icing systems (they made 7.5 million hose clips during the war). Films and Vacuum Cleaners: Athelstan Cinema to the Present Day (1935 – Present Day) Malmesbury has had noticeable developments in the 20th century, one of the earliest being the building of a cinema. After experiencing a travelling cinema for some years beforehand, Malmesbury finally obtained a permanent building to fulfil such a role in 1935. Athelstan Cinema, as it was known, contained 333 seats. In 1955 it obtained a panoramic screen for the first time and between 1983 and 1988 it doubled as a bingo hall. The cinema closed later in 1988 and was eventually demolished in 1993. One of the most significant developments to the town, especially in terms of its recent history involves the Dyson headquarters at the top of Tetbury Hill.

In June 1993, James Dyson, the industrial designer behind Dyson vacuum cleaners, located a research and development centre and factory in Malmesbury to produce his products. All Dyson vacuum cleaners and washing machines were made at the Malmesbury factory, until 2002, when production was outsourced to Malaysia (with washing machine production to follow suit in 2003). The Malmesbury site is still used as Dyson’s main headquarters and research and development for Dyson products is also carried out there. Sources:- Bartholomew, Ron., A History of Malmesbury Abbey (The Friends of Malmesbury Abbey: Malmesbury, 2010). Blanchard, Joan., Malmesbury Lace (B.T. Batsford Limited, London: 1990). Bowen, John. (Edited By Allnatt, Graham), A Story of Malmesbury (Hackman Print, Rhondda: 2000). Hodge, Dr. Bernulf., A History of Malmesbury (5th Edition; The Friends of Malmesbury Abbey, Minety: 1990).

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Question: The English town of Malmesbury is in which county?
Answer: Wiltshire