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Trowbridge

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.

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. Clark's Mill is now home to offices and the County Court; straddling the nearby River Biss is "The Handle House", formerly used for drying and storage of teazles used to raise the nap of cloth. This is one of very few such buildings still known to exist in the United Kingdom.^[9]

1800s to present

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 of Trowbridge opened 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 H.J.Knee Ltd. (Est.1879), a local family firm with a large Department Store in the town centre and also an engineering firm (K.A.M.) based in Trowbridge. The largest employers in the town are Wiltshire County Council, apetito, Vodafone, Virgin Mobile and PB Beauty Ltd.

Architecture

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" 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.^[10] It is currently used for military and other inquests.^[11][12]

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.^[13]

Population

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.^[14]

Government

Trowbridge is within the Westbury parliamentary constituency and represented by Andrew Murrison (Conservative). The Boundary Commission has announced changes to the constituency, and in 2009-2010 it will become South West Wiltshire.

It is the centre for Wiltshire Council, a unitary authority created in April 2009 which replaced (for relevant purposes) West Wiltshire District Council and the former Wiltshire County Council.

The Town Council is the lowest level of government.^[15]

Entertainment and communications

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 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.

Several newspapers are produced and published in Trowbridge, the most popular being the Wiltshire Times.^[16]

'Fever' is currently the only nightclub in Trowbridge - which plays music from the 1960s, 70's and 80's. There are also many bars and pubs in the area including a Wetherspoon pub on Silver Street called The Issac Pitman. On 4 September 2009 a new Wetherspoon venue opened in the venue which used to be Chicago Rock Cafe; this is a Lloyds No1 Bar and will be called The Albany Palace.

Notable Trowbridge residents

Janet Anderson, MP for Rossendale and Darwen

Solomon Andrews, entrepreneur

Christopher Benjamin, actor

Alan Bullock, historian, author of "Hitler: A Study in Tyranny"

Humphrey Burton, broadcaster and biographer

Keri Davies, radio producer and dramatist, The Archers

Nathan Dyer, footballer for Southampton FC

George Haden, inventor of heating and ventilation systems

Lewis Haldane, footballer

Trevor Heeks, past winner of the World Town Crier Championship^[23]

Thomas Helliker, trade union martyr, hanged 1803 as a suspected Luddite

Gemma Hunt, television presenter

Joan M. Hussey, historian

Stephen Lee, professional snooker-player

William Mann, cricketer (Worcestershire)

Deborah Meaden, entrepreneur and panellist on Dragons' Den

Bel Mooney, journalist and broadcaster

Christopher Newbury, member of the Congress of the Council of Europe

Jamie Pitman, footballer

William Redfern, surgeon

Alan Snow, author and illustrator of Here Be Monsters!

David Stratton, Australian film critic

Town redevelopment

Since 2002, there have been plans in place to redevelop significant town centre sites.^[24]

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 (pictured below). Redevelopment has since suffered through several delayed starts.

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 has also commenced construction of a new retail centre between the Shires and the railway station, bringing new names to the town such as Next and Brantano.

The former Ushers brewery site has also been in the process of redevelopment for a number of years. A development on the old Ushers brewing site is well underway by Newland Homes, building high quality town centre apartments, incorporating the old frontage of the Ushers brewery.

In April 2009 building work started on one of the towns biggest brownfield sites, the former Ushers bottling plant. This site is being developed into a Sainsbury supermarket, bars and restaurants, public square and housing. This is due to be complete by May 2010.^[28]

I mages of Trowbridge

Pumpkin Tower (a modern folly) in Bythesea Road	Almshouses in Polebarn Road	The "Blind House", overnight lock-up for drunks, in Wicker Hill	St Stephen's Place
Trowbridge Railway Station	Thomas Helliker's tomb in St James' churchyard	Monument to George Crabbe in St James Church	Virgin Mobile UK headquarters at White Horse Park

Town twinning

Oujda, Morocco (since 2006).^[29] Trowbridge was the first English town to twin with an Arab Muslim country.^[14]

Leer, Germany (since 1989)^[29]

Charenton-le-Pont, France (since 1996)^[29]

Elbląg, Poland (as part of West Wiltshire district twinning, since 2000)^[29]