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89-574: Royal Wootton Bassett / ˈ r ɔɪ əl ˈ w ʊ t ən ˈ b æ s ɪ t / , formerly Wootton Bassett , is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire , England, with a population of 13,570 at the 2021 Census. In the north of the county, it lies 6 miles (10 km) to the west of the town of Swindon and 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Calne . The town was granted royal patronage in March 2011 by Elizabeth II in recognition of its role in

178-515: A Malmesbury Abbey charter granting land to the Abbot. Archaeological discoveries in the area tend to confirm the tradition that the original "Wodeton" (Settlement in the wood – i.e. in Bradon Forest) was near the present Dunnington Road. Wodeton was sacked by the marauding Danes in 1015, whereupon the survivors decided to move uphill to the site of the present High Street. Wootton Bassett

267-633: A Quaker , in 1739 and originally produced water pumps , fire engines , and beer engines . His sons, John & Tomson Warner, then formed a separate metal working business at a house known as Three Bells and a Star in Wood Street, Cheapside; by 1763 they were casting bells and later moved to Fore Street, Cripplegate. In 1782 the Warner brothers dissolved their partnership, John moved to Fleet Street and Tomson remained in Cripplegate. Warners had

356-457: A chevron between three lozenges : the granted design adapts this to reflect the Royal favour accorded in recognition of the town's role in recent repatriations of fallen servicemen and women, and is: Gules a Chevron Argent between in chief two Lozenges and in base a Lion passant guardant Or. The lion passant guardant is a visible heraldic sign of the royal favour. The main road through the town

445-507: A community based radio station which broadcast from its studios in Swindon on 105.5 FM. Gazette and Herald is the local newspaper that serves the town. The Wootton Bassett Museum is the former town hall, which is an upper storey supported on 15 pillars. It was built at the end of the 17th century, a gift from the Hyde family (Earls of Clarendon). The town previously had war memorials in

534-440: A community space on the upper floor. The oldest surviving structures date from the mid-17th century. In Scotland, borough markets were held weekly from an early stage. A King's market was held at Roxburgh on a specific day from about the year 1171; a Thursday market was held at Glasgow , a Saturday market at Arbroath , and a Sunday market at Brechin . In Scotland, market towns were often distinguished by their mercat cross :

623-514: A crossing-place on the River Thames up-river from Runnymede , where it formed an oxbow lake in the stream. Early patronage included Thomas Furnyvale, lord of Hallamshire , who established a Fair and Market in 1232. Travelers were able to meet and trade wares in relative safety for a week of "fayres" at a location inside the town walls. The reign of Henry III witnessed a spike in established market fairs. The defeat of de Montfort increased

712-528: A crossroads or close to a river ford , for example, Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan. When local railway lines were first built, market towns were given priority to ease the transport of goods. For instance, in Calderdale , West Yorkshire , several market towns close together were designated to take advantage of the new trains. The designation of Halifax , Sowerby Bridge , Hebden Bridge , and Todmorden

801-491: A full list, see this table at Danish Misplaced Pages ). The last town to gain market rights ( Danish : købstadsprivilegier ) was Skjern in 1958. At the municipal reform of 1970 , market towns were merged with neighboring parishes, and the market towns lost their special status and privileges, though many still advertise themselves using the moniker of købstad and hold public markets on their historic market squares . The medieval right to hold markets ( German : Marktrecht )

890-559: A good deal is known about the economic value of markets in local economies, the cultural role of market-towns has received scant scholarly attention. In Denmark, the concept of the market town ( Danish : købstad ) emerged during the Iron Age. It is not known which was the first Danish market town, but Hedeby (part of modern-day Schleswig-Holstein ) and Ribe were among the first. As of 1801, there were 74 market towns in Denmark (for

979-591: A group of villages or an earlier urban settlement in decline, or be created as a new urban centre. Frequently, they had limited privileges compared to free royal cities . Their long-lasting feudal subordination to landowners or the church is also a crucial difference. The successors of these settlements usually have a distinguishable townscape. The absence of fortification walls, sparsely populated agglomerations, and their tight bonds with agricultural life allowed these towns to remain more vertical compared to civitates. The street-level urban structure varies depending on

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1068-591: A large output of bells, and Warner bells can be found throughout the world. Some of their notable bells including the clock chime at the Houses of Parliament , were cast at their foundry in Jewin Crescent, Cripplegate . The larger Big Ben was cast at Norton, near Stockton-on-Tees and later had to be re-cast by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry , however the four smaller quarter bells are still

1157-452: A less sombre tribute as they came together over 5 months to re-record the classic Green Day track, "Wake Me Up When September Ends" from their American Idiot album, in aid of military charities. The project was called "Wootton Bassett Rocks", and its aim was to raise £1   million for four charities: The Royal British Legion , Combat Stress , The Undentable Trust, and Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen & Families Association (SSAFA) . The single

1246-455: A local shopfront such as a bakery or alehouse, while others were casual traders who set up a stall or carried their wares around in baskets on market days. Market trade supplied for the needs of local consumers whether they were visitors or local residents. Braudel and Reynold have made a systematic study of European market towns between the 13th and 15th century. Their investigation shows that in regional districts markets were held once or twice

1335-471: A lot to lend their support, it was felt it would be insensitive to transfer the process back to Brize." When RAF Lyneham closed in September 2011, the repatriations moved to RAF Brize Norton and go near to the town of Carterton . In October 2008, an Armed Forces parade was held in the town. On Friday 29 January 2010 the town was visited by The Prince of Wales and his wife The Duchess of Cornwall , to lay

1424-468: A market town at Bergen in the 11th century, and it soon became the residence of many wealthy families. Import and export was to be conducted only through market towns, to allow oversight of commerce and to simplify the imposition of excise taxes and customs duties . This practice served to encourage growth in areas which had strategic significance, providing a local economic base for the construction of fortifications and sufficient population to defend

1513-563: A market town is the provision of goods and services to the surrounding locality. Although market towns were known in antiquity, their number increased rapidly from the 12th century. Market towns across Europe flourished with an improved economy, a more urbanised society and the widespread introduction of a cash-based economy. Domesday Book of 1086 lists 50 markets in England. Some 2,000 new markets were established between 1200 and 1349. The burgeoning of market towns occurred across Europe around

1602-473: A number of market towns in Saxony throughout the 11th century and did much to develop peaceful markets by granting a special 'peace' to merchants and a special and permanent 'peace' to market-places. With the rise of the territories, the ability to designate market towns was passed to the princes and dukes, as the basis of German town law . The local ordinance status of a market town ( Marktgemeinde or Markt )

1691-604: A place where the right to hold a regular market or fair was granted by a ruling authority (either royal, noble, or ecclesiastical). As in the rest of the UK, the area in which the cross was situated was almost always central: either in a square; or in a broad, main street. Towns which still have regular markets include: Inverurie , St Andrews , Selkirk , Wigtown , Kelso , and Cupar . Not all still possess their mercat cross (market cross). Dutch painters of Antwerp took great interest in market places and market towns as subject matter from

1780-412: A relationship with customers and may have offered added value services, such as credit terms to reliable customers. The economy was characterised by local trading in which goods were traded across relatively short distances. Braudel reports that, in 1600, grain moved just 5–10 miles (8.0–16.1 km); cattle 40–70 miles (64–113 km); wool and woollen cloth 20–40 miles (32–64 km). However, following

1869-428: A small seaport or a market town prior to export. This encouraged local merchants to ensure trading went through them, which was so effective in limiting unsupervised sales ( smuggling ) that customs revenues increased from less than 30% of the total tax revenues in 1600 to more than 50% of the total taxes by 1700. Norwegian "market towns" died out and were replaced by free markets during the 19th century. After 1952, both

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1958-455: A successful market town attracted people, generated revenue and would pay for the town's defences. In around the 12th century, European kings began granting charters to villages allowing them to hold markets on specific days. Framlingham in Suffolk is a notable example of a market situated near a fortified building. Additionally, markets were located where transport was easiest, such as at

2047-419: A week while daily markets were common in larger cities. Over time, permanent shops began opening daily and gradually supplanted the periodic markets, while peddlers or itinerant sellers continued to fill in any gaps in distribution. The physical market was characterised by transactional exchange and bartering systems were commonplace. Shops had higher overhead costs, but were able to offer regular trading hours and

2136-593: A wreath at the War Memorial and meet local people. On 21 December 2009, Prince William presented the town with one of The Sun ' s "Millie" awards for Support to the Armed Forces, stating: "One of the most remarkable things is that the people are so modest, they refuse to accept any praise". In May 2009, The Royal British Legion honoured Wootton Bassett with a special award in recognition of Legion members, many of whom are ex-servicemen and women, who attend

2225-584: Is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages , a market right , which allowed it to host a regular market ; this distinguished it from a village or city . In Britain, small rural towns with a hinterland of villages are still commonly called market towns, as sometimes reflected in their names (e.g. Downham Market , Market Rasen , or Market Drayton ). Modern markets are often in special halls , but this

2314-487: Is a relatively recent development. Historically the markets were open-air, held in what is usually called (regardless of its actual shape) the market square or market place , sometimes centred on a market cross ( mercat cross in Scotland). They were and are typically open one or two days a week. In the modern era, the rise of permanent retail establishments reduced the need for periodic markets. The primary purpose of

2403-543: Is also home to detachments of the Army Cadet Force and the Sea Cadets . The town has always been a market town, and hence with many trades associated with farming and agriculture. In 1908 Wiltshire United Dairies built a dairy and creamery in the town. Merged in 1916 to form United Dairies , in 1931 a private siding was opened from Wootton Bassett Junction railway station to allow milk trains to service

2492-478: Is an example of this. A number of studies have pointed to the prevalence of the periodic market in medieval towns and rural areas due to the localised nature of the economy. The marketplace was the commonly accepted location for trade, social interaction, transfer of information and gossip. A broad range of retailers congregated in market towns – peddlers, retailers, hucksters, stallholders, merchants and other types of trader. Some were professional traders who occupied

2581-487: Is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is noted that Miles Crispin held the rights and these included "land for 12 ploughs...a mill...and 24 acres (9.7 ha) of meadow...33 acres of pasture and woodland which is two leagues by a league". It was said to be worth nine pounds. In the early 21st century, the town paid informal tributes during military repatriation funeral processions which passed through

2670-701: Is no single register of modern entitlements to hold markets and fairs, although historical charters up to 1516 are listed in the Gazetteer of Markets and Fairs in England and Wales . William Stow's 1722 Remarks on London includes "A List of all the Market Towns in England and Wales; with the Days of the Week whereon kept". Market houses were a common feature across the island of Ireland . These often arcaded buildings performed marketplace functions, frequently with

2759-483: Is on the north side of the High Street. A 13th-century church was rebuilt in the 15th century, and extensively restored in 1869–1870 by G. E. Street at the expense of Sir Henry Meux . The church was designated as Grade II* listed in 1955. The church has a chancel and south-east chapel, a wide nave and a south-west tower. Street rebuilt the whole east end, moving the east window to the south wall; he also added

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2848-512: Is perpetuated through the law of Austria , the German state of Bavaria , and the Italian province of South Tyrol . Nevertheless, the title has no further legal significance, as it does not grant any privileges. In Hungarian, the word for market town "mezőváros" means literally "pasture town" and implies that it was unfortified town: they were architecturally distinguishable from other towns by

2937-620: Is reflected in the prefix Markt of the names of many towns in Austria and Germany , for example, Markt Berolzheim or Marktbergel . Other terms used for market towns were Flecken in northern Germany, or Freiheit and Wigbold in Westphalia . Market rights were designated as long ago as during the Carolingian Empire . Around 800, Charlemagne granted the title of a market town to Esslingen am Neckar . Conrad created

3026-617: Is the A3102 , which connects it to Swindon to the east and Melksham to the south-west, a town in the west of the county. The only other numbered road out of the town is the B4042 , which runs to Malmesbury in the west. The town is also close to Junction 16 of the M4 motorway connecting London with South Wales, allowing easy access to other towns and cities of the M4 corridor . Royal Wootton Bassett has no railway station, although it has been served in

3115-510: The Yiddish term shtetl . Miasteczkos had a special administrative status other than that of town or city. From the time of the Norman conquest, the right to award a charter was generally seen to be a royal prerogative. However, the granting of charters was not systematically recorded until 1199. Once a charter was granted, it gave local lords the right to take tolls and also afforded

3204-415: The koopman, which described a new, emergent class of trader who dealt in goods or credit on a large scale. Paintings of every day market scenes may have been an affectionate attempt to record familiar scenes and document a world that was in danger of being lost. Paintings and drawings of market towns and market scenes Bibliography John Warner %26 Sons A company was founded by Jacob Warner,

3293-659: The "small seaport" and the "market town" were relegated to simple town status. Miasteczko ( lit.   ' small town ' ) was a historical type of urban settlement similar to a market town in the former Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth . After the partitions of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth at the end of the 18th-century, these settlements became widespread in the Austrian , German and Russian Empires. The vast majority of miasteczkos had significant or even predominant Jewish populations ; these are known in English under

3382-426: The 16th century. Pieter Aertsen was known as the "great painter of the market" Painters' interest in markets was due, at least in part, to the changing nature of the market system at that time. With the rise of the merchant guilds, the public began to distinguish between two types of merchant, the meerseniers which referred to local merchants including bakers, grocers, sellers of dairy products and stall-holders, and

3471-431: The 20th century, the special rights granted to market towns mostly involved a greater autonomy in fiscal matters and control over town planning, schooling and social care. Unlike rural municipalities, the market towns were not considered part of the counties . The last town to be granted market rights was Ólafsvík in 1983 and from that point there were 24 market towns until a municipal reform in 1986 essentially abolished

3560-694: The Brinkworth Road, just outside the town but walkable and cyclable from most parts. The site is held by Trustees and is known overall as Royal Wootton Bassett Sports Association. It is run almost exclusively by volunteers from the participating sports clubs. Initially these were RWB Cricket Club, Hounds (running), the Tennis Club and the Town Football Club; they were joined in 2017 by the North Thames Boules Club (now

3649-516: The European age of discovery, goods were imported from afar – calico cloth from India, porcelain, silk and tea from China, spices from India and South-East Asia and tobacco, sugar, rum and coffee from the New World. The importance of local markets began to decline in the mid-16th century. Permanent shops which provided more stable trading hours began to supplant the periodic market. In addition,

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3738-635: The Royal Wootton Bassett Petanque Club). The main building hosts changing facilities, a bar and tuck shop, kitchen area, meeting and function rooms. Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC West and ITV West Country . Television signals are received from the Mendip TV transmitter. The town's local radio stations are BBC Radio Wiltshire on 103.5 FM, Heart West on 97.2 FM, Greatest Hits Radio South West (formerly Sam FM ) on 107.7 and Swindon 105.5 ,

3827-543: The Sacred Heart was built on the north side of the High Street in 1993. Suburbs of Royal Wootton Bassett include Noremarsh, Coped Hall, Woodshaw and Vastern (a small hamlet to the south). Bishop Fowley is shown on Andrews' and Dury's Map of Wiltshire, 1810 as being an outlying hamlet southwest of the town; the location is now known as Vowley Farm. Wootton Bassett Mud Spring is a 8,000 m (86,000 sq ft) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest , which

3916-536: The Warner originals. In 1913, Warners cast a ring of 12 bells for Chelmsford Cathedral , the heaviest weighing 34cwt and sounding note C. A notable peal of bells from this foundry is located in Sacred Heart Basilica, Timaru and the first set of bells in Wellington, New Zealand, at St Peter's Anglican Church, were made by John Warner & Sons. This article about a company of the UK

4005-549: The area. It also served to restrict Hanseatic League merchants from trading in areas other than those designated. Norway included a subordinate category to the market town, the "small seaport" ( Norwegian lossested or ladested ), which was a port or harbor with a monopoly to import and export goods and materials in both the port and a surrounding outlying district. Typically, these were locations for exporting timber, and importing grain and goods. Local farm goods and timber sales were all required to pass through merchants at either

4094-412: The chancel fittings and the pews; the stone reredos was carved by Thomas Earp . Stained glass in the east and south-east windows is by Hardman , 1871; the west window is an 1890 memorial to Sir Henry Meux. There is a ring of eight bells: three by Roger Purdue dated 1633, the others by John Warner & Sons from 1899. The church retains its own parish, not grouped with any others. Between 1951 and 1974

4183-519: The concept. Many of the existing market towns would continue to be named kaupstaður even after the term lost any administrative meaning. In Norway , the medieval market town ( Norwegian : kjøpstad and kaupstad from the Old Norse kaupstaðr ) was a town which had been granted commerce privileges by the king or other authorities. The citizens in the town had a monopoly over the purchase and sale of wares, and operation of other businesses, both in

4272-534: The council. The East division covers the east side of the town and the rural areas to the east and north, including Hook and Lydiard Millicent . For elections to Parliament , the parish is part of the Chippenham constituency , represented since 2024 by Sarah Gibson for the Liberal Democrats . From 1447 until 1832, Wootton Bassett was a parliamentary borough which elected two MPs. In 1832 it

4361-488: The day when the community congregated in town to attend church. Some of the more ancient markets appear to have been held in churchyards. At the time of the Norman conquest, the majority of the population made their living through agriculture and livestock farming. Most lived on their farms, situated outside towns, and the town itself supported a relatively small population of permanent residents. Farmers and their families brought their surplus produce to informal markets held on

4450-546: The early market towns have continued operations into recent times. For instance, Northampton market received its first charter in 1189 and markets are still held in the square to this day. The National Market Traders Federation , situated in Barnsley , South Yorkshire , has around 32,000 members and close links with market traders' federations throughout Europe. According to the UK National Archives , there

4539-422: The early-21st-century military funeral repatriations , which passed through the town. This honour was officially conferred in a ceremony on 16 October 2011 – the first royal patronage to be conferred upon a town (as distinguished from a borough or county) since 1909. AD 681 is usually taken as the starting point for recorded history of Wootton Bassett, then known as Wodeton , it being referred to in that year in

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4628-398: The era from which various parts of the city originate. Market towns were characterized as a transition between a village and a city, without a unified, definite city core. A high level of urban planning only marks an era starting from the 17th-18th centuries. This dating is partially related to the modernization and resettlement waves after the liberation of Ottoman Hungary . While Iceland

4717-411: The form of a memorial garden in the cemetery and the memorial hall on Tinker's Field. In October 2004 a new memorial was unveiled in the town, a simple pedestal topped by a bronze of hands holding up a globe. The opening was the culmination of a five-year publicity and fund raising campaign, initiated by local resident Jay Cunningham who felt that the garden and hall were not prominent enough. The design of

4806-563: The former Wilts & Berks Canal passes through Royal Wootton Bassett parish, south of the town. The canal reached here from Semington in 1801 and was completed when it reached Abingdon in 1810. The last narrowboat traffic to Wootton Bassett was in 1906 and the canal was abandoned by Act of Parliament in 1914. The canal is now being restored by the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust . The town has an annual Arts Festival which involves music, speech, drama, musical theatre, and dance. In football,

4895-417: The grounds of their church after worship. By the 13th century, however, a movement against Sunday markets gathered momentum, and the market gradually moved to a site in town's centre and was held on a weekday. By the 15th century, towns were legally prohibited from holding markets in church-yards. Archaeological evidence suggests that Colchester is England's oldest recorded market town, dating to at least

4984-447: The idea. South Wootton Bassett councillor Chris Wannell and Wootton Bassett Mayor Steve Bucknell both thought that it was not what local people would want, preferring to just honour the dead with no expectation of thanks. Other tributes have included a public mass charity motorcycle parade through the town in March 2010, which also raised £100,000 for the charity Afghan Heroes. In 2011, the community of Royal Wootton Bassett themselves made

5073-490: The junction of the two lines. British Railways closed that station in 1965. There have been ongoing attempts to re-open a station in the early 21st century. Commuters wishing to use train services would have to travel to Swindon or Chippenham for regular services to London and the West Country; a bus service runs from Chippenham to Swindon via the town to allow these journeys to be made via public transport. The route of

5162-413: The lack of town walls. Most market towns were chartered in the 14th and 15th centuries and typically developed around 13th-century villages that had preceded them. A boom in the raising of livestock may have been a trigger for the upsurge in the number of market towns during that period. Archaeological studies suggest that the ground plans of such market towns had multiple streets and could also emerge from

5251-404: The legal basis for defining a "town". For instance, Newport, Shropshire , is in the borough of Telford and Wrekin but is separate from Telford . In England, towns with such rights are usually distinguished with the additional status of borough . It is generally accepted that, in these cases, when a town was granted a market, it gained the additional autonomy conferred to separate towns. Many of

5340-519: The local town council . Failing that, the Crown can grant a licence. As the number of charters granted increased, competition between market towns also increased. In response to competitive pressures, towns invested in a reputation for quality produce, efficient market regulation and good amenities for visitors such as covered accommodation. By the thirteenth century, counties with important textile industries were investing in purpose built market halls for

5429-464: The market. If the travel time exceeded this standard, a new market town could be established in that locale. As a result of the limit, official market towns often petitioned the monarch to close down illegal markets in other towns. These distances are still law in England today. Other markets can be held, provided they are licensed by the holder of the Royal Charter, which tends currently to be

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5518-591: The memorial was by Lance Corporal Alan Wilson of the Wootton Bassett Army Cadet Force , chosen by public vote, and then sculpted by local artist Vivien ap Rhys Price . The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Royal Wootton Bassett. [REDACTED] Media related to Royal Wootton Bassett at Wikimedia Commons Market town A market town

5607-409: The north aisle and vestry, and rebuilt the tower while increasing its height. Julian Orbach considers the best surviving 15th-century work to be the south facade, which has gargoyles , three tall windows and a two-storey porch. The south chancel aisle was made into a lady chapel in 1944. The low-pitched roofs over the nave are 15th-century, as is the oak pulpit. Street designed the circular stone font,

5696-722: The past by Wootton Bassett Road and Wootton Bassett Junction stations, and is a major junction on the rail network, being the location where the South Wales Main Line branches off of the Great Western Main Line . Thus stations nearby offer direct connections to London, the South West and South Wales. The first station to serve the town was Wootton Bassett Road, opened by the Great Western Railway (GWR) in 1840 some distance from

5785-692: The plant. Merged into Unigate in 1958, the plant became a key production site for the St Ivel Shape brand yoghurts , before being sold to Danone for £32m. The factory consequently closed in February 2003. The site was sold for £19m in August 2004, and the factory demolished in June 2005. It was redeveloped as the Beaufort Park housing estate. Disclosure and Barring Service has an office in

5874-550: The plight of Muslims in Afghanistan" and so "no more could be achieved even if a procession were to take place". An official coat of arms was granted to Wootton Bassett Town Council, by Letters Patent of Garter, Clarenceux and Norroy and Ulster Kings of Arms , on 30 August 2011, the day before the date of the Queen's Patent granting the designation "Royal" to the town. The town had previously used unofficial Arms consisting of

5963-513: The purchasing habits of the monks and other individuals in medieval England, suggests that consumers of the period were relatively discerning. Purchase decisions were based on purchase criteria such as consumers' perceptions of the range, quality, and price of goods. This informed decisions about where to make their purchases. As traditional market towns developed, they featured a wide main street or central market square . These provided room for people to set up stalls and booths on market days. Often

6052-461: The repatriation, and decided to formally show their respect to the soldiers as they passed through their town. This led to other people assembling along the route, with large gatherings of sometimes over 1,000 people. After runway repairs at RAF Brize Norton had been completed, the RAF continued to use Lyneham, a Ministry of Defence spokesman saying that because the "people of Wootton Bassett had done such

6141-419: The repatriations. Motorcyclists from The Royal British Legion Riders Branch attended repatriations held in the town. Calls for the town to have Royal status bestowed on it had emerged in September 2009 and, while in the form of petitions and social media campaigns there had been public support for both the Royal title and other forms of national expressions of thanks at the time, local figures were less keen on

6230-487: The rise of a merchant class led to the import and exports of a broad range of goods, contributing to a reduced reliance on local produce. At the centre of this new global mercantile trade was Antwerp , which by the mid-16th century, was the largest market town in Europe. A good number of local histories of individual market towns can be found. However, more general histories of the rise of market-towns across Europe are much more difficult to locate. Clark points out that while

6319-433: The sale of cloth. Specific market towns cultivated a reputation for high quality local goods. For example, London's Blackwell Hall became a centre for cloth, Bristol became associated with a particular type of cloth known as Bristol red , Stroud was known for producing fine woollen cloth, the town of Worsted became synonymous with a type of yarn; Banbury and Essex were strongly associated with cheeses. A study on

6408-574: The same time. Initially, market towns most often grew up close to fortified places, such as castles or monasteries, not only to enjoy their protection, but also because large manorial households and monasteries generated demand for goods and services. Historians term these early market towns "prescriptive market towns" in that they may not have enjoyed any official sanction such as a charter, but were accorded market town status through custom and practice if they had been in existence prior to 1199. From an early stage, kings and administrators understood that

6497-574: The sample testing of markets by Edward I the "lawgiver" , who summoned the Model Parliament in 1295 to perambulate the boundaries of forest and town. Market towns grew up at centres of local activity and were an important feature of rural life and also became important centres of social life, as some place names suggest: Market Drayton , Market Harborough , Market Rasen , Market Deeping , Market Weighton , Chipping Norton , Chipping Ongar , and Chipping Sodbury  – chipping

6586-466: The time of the Roman occupation of Britain's southern regions. Another ancient market town is Cirencester , which held a market in late Roman Britain. The term derived from markets and fairs first established in 13th century after the passage of Magna Carta , and the first laws towards a parlement . The Provisions of Oxford of 1258 were only possible because of the foundation of a town and university at

6675-608: The town (and sometimes referred to as Hay Lane), when the Great Western Main Line from London Paddington reached the town. After just a year, with the completion of the Box Tunnel allowing the line to reach Bristol Temple Meads , this was replaced by the closer Wootton Bassett railway station. In 1903, after the South Wales line opened, the station was demolished and rebuilt as Wootton Bassett Junction at

6764-428: The town and in the surrounding district. Norway developed market towns at a much later period than other parts of Europe. The reasons for this late development are complex but include the sparse population, lack of urbanisation, no real manufacturing industries and no cash economy. The first market town was created in 11th century Norway, to encourage businesses to concentrate around specific towns. King Olaf established

6853-747: The town erected a market cross in the centre of the town, to obtain God's blessing on the trade. Notable examples of market crosses in England are the Chichester Cross , Malmesbury Market Cross and Devizes, Wiltshire. Market towns often featured a market hall , as well, with administrative or civic quarters on the upper floor, above a covered trading area. Market towns with smaller status include Minchinhampton , Nailsworth , and Painswick near Stroud, Gloucestershire . A "market town" may or may not have rights concerning self-government that are usually

6942-480: The town is represented by Wootton Bassett Town F.C. who play their home games at the 2,000-capacity Gerard Buxton Sports Ground. Other sports clubs include Wootton Bassett Hockey Club, Wootton Bassett Otters Swimming Club, Royal Wootton Bassett Rugby Football Club and Wootton Bassett Bowls Club. In summer 2015, the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground relocated from Rylands Way to the north side of

7031-408: The town some protection from rival markets. When a chartered market was granted for specific market days, a nearby rival market could not open on the same days. Across the boroughs of England, a network of chartered markets sprang up between the 12th and 16th centuries, giving consumers reasonable choice in the markets they preferred to patronise. Until about 1200, markets were often held on Sundays,

7120-536: The town's name was enacted through Letters Patent and became effective on 16 October 2011, when The Princess Royal visited the town to present formally the Letters Patent to the town council. Royal Wootton Bassett is the fourth Royal town in the country after Royal Sutton Coldfield , Royal Leamington Spa and Royal Tunbridge Wells , and the first to receive the status in over 100 years. The Church of England parish church of St Bartholomew and All Saints

7209-424: The town, eventually attracting significant media coverage. On 16 March 2011, Prime Minister David Cameron announced, at the start of Prime Minister's Questions , that while "from September, military repatriations will no longer pass through the town of Wootton Bassett", " Her Majesty has agreed to confer the title 'Royal' upon the town, as an enduring symbol of the nation’s admiration and gratitude". The addition to

7298-558: The town. From April 2007, the bodies of servicemen and women of the British Armed Forces killed in Iraq and Afghanistan were repatriated to RAF Lyneham 4.5 miles (7.5 km) to the south. The bodies would then be transported to John Radcliffe Hospital , Oxford, in coffins covered with a Union Flag , passing through the town on their way. In the summer of 2007, local members of The Royal British Legion became aware of

7387-574: The towns and cities of Swindon, Chippenham , Bath and Bristol . The town also has a significant Royal Air Force population due to its proximity to MoD Lyneham , which is now largely a training establishment but until 2012 was the site of RAF Lyneham . Royal Wootton Bassett has a secondary school, Royal Wootton Bassett Academy , on the north-west edge of the town. There are four primary schools: St Bartholomew's Primary Academy (formerly C of E Primary School), Longleaze Primary School, Noremarsh Junior School and Wootton Bassett Infants' School. The town

7476-427: The vicar of Wootton Bassett was also responsible for Christ Church at Broad Town . A Congregational church was built in Wood Street in 1825 and continues in use as a United Reformed Church . Primitive Methodists built a church in 1838 at the western end of the High Street, near Rope Yard. It continues in use, the congregation having been joined by the town's Wesleyan Methodists in 1965. The Catholic Church of

7565-501: Was notified in 1997. The first tier of local government is Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council , which has 16 members, elected by voters in three wards. Councillors elect one of their number to serve as mayor for a period of one year. The town falls under the auspices of Wiltshire Council , a unitary authority established in 2009 as part of wider local government changes . Three electoral divisions – Royal Wootton Bassett North, East, and South & West – each elect one member of

7654-470: Was deemed a rotten borough and abolished by the Great Reform Act . The town is twinned with Blain in western France. The United Kingdom Census 2001 recorded the town's population as 11,043, indicating that the town tripled in population total during the previous 50 years. Since the opening of the M4 motorway in the 1970s, the town has become attractive to commuters, many travelling to

7743-482: Was derived from a Saxon verb meaning "to buy". A major study carried out by the University of London found evidence for least 2,400 markets in English towns by 1516. The English system of charters established that a new market town could not be created within a certain travelling distance of an existing one. This limit was usually a day's worth of travelling (approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 mi)) to and from

7832-551: Was made available for download and on DVD in November 2011, and entered the rock charts in several countries. In 2009, the far-right English Defence League visited Wootton Bassett, after plans for a demonstration in the town by the Muslim extremist group Islam4UK , led by Anjem Choudary , came under widespread condemnation. The group eventually called off the plan, claiming that the publicity generated had "successfully highlighted

7921-405: Was under Danish rule, Danish merchants held a monopoly on trade with Iceland until 1786. With the abolishment of the trading monopoly, six market town ( Icelandic kaupstaður ) were founded around the country. All of them, except for Reykjavík , would lose their market rights in 1836. New market towns would be designated by acts from Alþingi in the 19th and 20th century. In the latter half of

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