Trowbridge

All you want to know about Trowbridge

For other places with the same name, see Trowbridge (disambiguation).
Trowbridge
Trowbridge (Wiltshire)
Trowbridge

Trowbridge shown within Wiltshire
Population 28,163[1]
OS grid reference ST8557
District West Wiltshire
Shire county Wiltshire
Region South West
Constituent country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Police Wiltshire
Fire Wiltshire
Ambulance Great Western
European Parliament South West England
List of places: UK • England • Wiltshire

Coordinates: 51°19′00″N 2°13′00″W / 51.3167, -2.2167

Trowbridge is the county town of Wiltshire, England, situated on the River Biss in the west of the county, approximately 12 miles (19 km) southeast of Bath, Somerset. The origin of the name is uncertain; one source claims derivation from treow-brycg, meaning 'Tree Bridge', referring to the first bridge over the Biss,[2][3] while another source states that the true meaning is the bridge by Trowle, the name of a hamlet and a common to the west of the town.[4]

The Kennet and Avon canal runs to the north of Trowbridge and played a large part in the development of the town as it allowed coal to be transported from the Somerset coalfields. Trowbridge has a railway station on the Wessex Main Line. The civil parish of Trowbridge had a population of 28,163 at the 2001 census, making it the third largest settlement in the county after the town of Swindon and the city of Salisbury.[1] Neighbouring towns and villages include Bradford on Avon, Westbury, Melksham, Devizes, Hilperton, Southwick and Semington.

Contents

History

Ancient history and the Domesday Book

There is evidence that the land on which Trowbridge is built was being farmed more than 3,000 years ago. In the 10th century there is clear evidence of Trowbridge's existence and in the Domesday Book the village of Straburg, as Trowbridge was then known, was recorded as having 100 residents.[3]

Castle

The first mention of Trowbridge Castle was in 1139 [5] while it was besieged - so it must have been built before this.

The castle is thought to have been a motte-and-bailey castle, and its influences can still be seen in the town today. Fore Street follows the path of the castle ditch, and its name is given to Castle Street and the Castle Place Shopping Centre.

Wool industry

From the 13th century onwards Trowbridge developed a clothing industry, increasingly becoming industrialised from the 17th century onwards. However increasing mechanisation was resisted by workers in traditional trades and there were riots in 1785, 1792 and in the era of luddism due to the introduction of the flying shuttle.[6] Thomas Helliker, a shearman's apprentice, became one of the martyrs of the Industrial Revolution in 1803 when he was hanged at Salisbury. Nevertheless at one point in 1820 Trowbridge was being described as the "Manchester of the West" as it had over 2,000 wool-producing factories, comparable to Northern industrial towns such as Rochdale.[7] The wool industry declined in the late 19th century with the advent of ring-spinning and this decline continued throughout the 20th century. The last mill, Salter's Home Mill, closed in 1982 and is now the home of Trowbridge Museum,[8] integrated into The Shires Shopping Centre.

1800s to present

The Virgin hot-air balloon flying over Trowbridge on 21 July 2008
The Virgin hot-air balloon flying over Trowbridge on 21 July 2008

In its place a bedding industry developed, initially using wool cast off from the mills — the company now known as Airsprung Furniture Group PLC was started in the town in the 1870s. Food production also developed in the town when Abraham Bowyer started his business in 1805 which eventually, as Bowyers, became one of the largest employers in the town until closure in April 2008 was announced, with production moving to the Nottingham branch. The brewing company Ushers opened in Trowbridge in 1824 and developed the brewery in the town — this was finally shut in 2000 following several changes of ownership. For many years the centre of Trowbridge smelled strongly of the brewer's mash on one day of the week, while on another the squeals of pigs being slaughtered provided a steady background noise. Food production continues in the town, with Apetito. One of the oldest established businesses in Trowbridge is Knees Department Store (Est.1879), a local family firm with premises in the town centre. The largest employers in the town are Wiltshire County Council, Vodafone and Virgin Mobile.

Architecture

Trowbridge Town Hall, as seen from Fore Street
Trowbridge Town Hall, as seen from Fore Street

There is much of architectural interest in Trowbridge, including many of the old buildings associated with the textile industry, and the Newtown conservation area, a protected zone of mostly Victorian houses. The Town Hall is in Market Street, opposite the entrance to the pedestrianised Fore Street. This "imposing building" (shown left) was presented to the residents of the town by a local businessman, Sir William Roger Brown in 1889, to celebrate Queen Victoria's fiftieth year on the throne.[9] It is currently used for military and other inquests.[10][11]

Shopping and other facilities

The town centre is compact, and the focus for shops is the ancient Fore Street; the more modern Shires and Castle Place shopping centres provide a wide variety of outlets. The Civic Hall, a conference and entertainment venue, is next to the Town Park, which is also home to the tourist information kiosk.[12]

Population

Changes in Trowbridge's population 1801 - 2001
Changes in Trowbridge's population 1801 - 2001

The first official census of 1801 showed Trowbridge having 5,799 inhabitants, while the most recent of 2001 lists 28,163. No census was taken in 1941 due to the Second World War. Since 1951, the population has increased by 103%.[1] Trowbridge has the highest population of Moroccans in the UK outside of London.[13]


Local news

Several newspapers are produced and published in Trowbridge, the most popular being the Wiltshire Times.[14]

Entertainment and pubs

Trowbridge is part of the historic West Country Carnival circuit, and has also given its name to the Trowbridge Village Pump Festival. The Festival was originally held in the old stablehouse of The Lamb Inn public house on Mortimer Street in Trowbridge, and was founded by Alan Briars and Dave Newman, although the event is now held at Stowford Manor farm between Wingfield near Trowbridge and Farleigh Hungerford in Somerset.

Trowbridge Town F.C. is the local football club, based at North Bradley near Trowbridge. They are currently members of the Hellenic Football League Division One West.

The Arc Theatre is a small-scale professional theatre venue, located at Wiltshire College in College Road; it brings professional dance and and live theatre to Wiltshire. The Theatre's programme also includes a range of theatre events (both professional and amateur), live music and children's events. It is also home to the Trowbridge Film Society, professional touring company, Big State Theatre Company, and to the local Amateur Dramatics group, The Trowbridge Players.

Notable Trowbridge residents

Trowbridge was the birthplace of Sir Isaac Pitman, developer of the Pitman Shorthand system of shorthand writing.[15] He is remembered in the town through several memorial plaques, and his name has been taken by a pub in the town centre run by Wetherspoons.[16] Matthew Hutton (Archbishop of Canterbury) was the town's Rector from 1726 to 1730.[17] The poet George Crabbe held the same position from 1814 until his death in 1832.[18]

John Dyer was a Trowbridge born inventor and engineer whose most important invention was the rotary fulling machine in 1833. A version of the machine, developed for the local woollen industry, is still in use today.[19]

Sir William Cook KCB Kt FRS, born in Trowbridge on April 10, 1905, was involved with the development of the British nuclear bomb at Aldermaston in the 1950s, becoming the establishment's deputy director.[20]

Town redevelopment

River Biss flowing under the Town Bridge, renovated in November 2007
River Biss flowing under the Town Bridge, renovated in November 2007

Since 2002, there have been plans in place to redevelop significant town centre sites.[22]

In the early 1990s the supermarket chain Tesco changed location from their site at St Stephens Place to a site adjoining the A361 on County Way. The previous site has been dormant since being demolished some years ago, and has become notorious for its extremely large mound of crushed concrete and other remains, known locally as "Mount Crushmore" (pictured below). Redevelopment has since suffered through several delayed starts.[23] The plans for the site can be viewed by consulting an image made of them.[24]

Trowbridge residents have frequently voiced their desire for new facilities to be built on the site, with reference often made to Trowbridge's lack of a cinema. Developers Modus have now signed up to provide a Vue Cinema in the plan for the Waterside complex.[25] And in March 2008, an outline planning application for the proposed development was approved by West Wiltshire District Council, to include a new library, cinema, ten-pin bowling, hotel and restaurants.[26] In the same week, the Town Council supported plans for Waitrose Supermarkets to build a store on land at Cradle Bridge/County Way, currently containing a derelict factory, previously occupied by the Peter Black Group.[27]

The developer Parkridge is also about to commence construction of a new retail centre between the Shires and the railway station, bringing new names to the town.

The former Ushers brewery site has also been in the process of redevelopment for a number of years. A development of new apartments is underway by Newland Homes and a supermarket and further residential units is planned for the former bottling plant site.[28]

Images of Trowbridge

Pumpkin Tower (a modern folly) in Bythesea Road

The Sensory garden at the end of Trowbridge Town Park

"Feelie Board" for Braille users of the Sensory garden

Another view of the Sensory garden, with rear of the Town Hall in background

The War Memorial in the Town Park

Almshouses in Polebarn Road

Lake in the Park

Clark's Mill, now home of the County Court

Clark's Mill from Wicker Hill

The "Blind House", overnight lock-up for drunks, in Wicker Hill

"Mount Crushmore" in St Stephen's Place

Trowbridge Railway Station

Thomas Helliker's tomb in St James' churchyard

Monument to George Crabbe in St James Church

Town twinning

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Wiltshire County Council - Wiltshire Community History Get Population/Census Information". www.wiltshire.gov.uk. Retrieved on 2008-07-28.
  2. ^ Town Official Guide, Trowbridge TOwn Council, 2008
  3. ^ a b Origins of the name Trowbridge: Strum.co.uk website. Retrieved on January 25, 2008.
  4. ^ Lewis, Harold (1978). The Church Rambler, Volume 2. Hamilton, Adams & Co., 199-226. 
  5. ^ First mention of Trowbridge Castle: Local Authority Publishing website. Retrieved on January 25, 2008.
  6. ^ "Machine-breaking in England and France during the Age of Revolution". Retrieved on 2008-03-16.
  7. ^ "Economic History". Retrieved on 2008-03-16.
  8. ^ The Trowbridge Woollen Industry as Illustrated by the Stock Books of John and Thomas Clark, 1804-1824, John Clark & Thomas Clark & R. P. Beckinsale, Wiltshire Record Society/Biddles Ltd, 1973.
  9. ^ Architecture - Trowbridge Town Hall: Local Authority Publishing website. Retrieved on January 25, 2008.
  10. ^ Town Hall used for military inquests: Wiltshire Times article. Retrieved on February 7, 2008
  11. ^ Other inquests also at the Town Hall: The Independent newspaper article. Retrieved on February 7, 2008
  12. ^ Shopping in Trowbridge: Trowbridge Community Website. Retrieved on January 25, 2008.
  13. ^ a b "Backing For Link To Morocco (from Wiltshire Times)". www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk (22nd September 2006). Retrieved on 2008-07-28.
  14. ^ Wiltshire Times local newspaper: Gazette and Herald website. Retrieved on January 25, 2008.
  15. ^ Sir Isaac Pitman, born in Trowbridge: NNDB website. Retrieved on January 25, 2008.
  16. ^ The "Sir Isaac Pitman" pub (Wetherspoon's): Carling.com website. Retrieved on January 25, 2008.
  17. ^ Matthew Hutton, Archbishop of Canterbury, town's rector: Troweb website. Retrieved on January 25, 2008.
  18. ^ George Crabbe, poet and rector of Trowbridge: Britain Unlimited website. Retrieved on January 25, 2008.
  19. ^ John Dyer and the fulling machine: Trowbridge Museum website. Retrieved on January 25, 2008.
  20. ^ Sir William Cook KCB Kt FRS, notable resident: Local Authority Publishing website. Retrieved on January 25, 2008.
  21. ^ "Town Crier". Retrieved on 2008-06-15.
  22. ^ Redevelopment plans (since 2002): Transforming Trowbridge website. Retrieved on January 25, 2008.
  23. ^ "Mount Crushmore", the remains of the former Tesco site at St Stephens Place: the Salisbury Journal website. Retrieved on January 25, 2008.
  24. ^ St Stephens Place redevelopment plans: Duffy Group website. Retrieved on January 25, 2008.
  25. ^ Plan for cinema in Trowbridge (Waterside development): West Wiltshire District Council website. Retrieved on January 25, 2008.
  26. ^ "Go-ahead for Waterside project", County Hall East area, March 2008: Wiltshire Times website. Retrieved on March 8, 2008.
  27. ^ "Waitrose plans win backing", Cradle Bridge, March 2008: Wiltshire Times website. Retrieved on March 8, 2008.
  28. ^ Ushers Brewery site, proposed plans for redevelopment: Wiltshire Times website. Retrieved on January 25, 2008.
  29. ^ a b c d Twin towns in Germany, France, Poland and Morocco: BBC.co.uk website. Retrieved on January 25, 2008.

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