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98-470: Trowbridge ( / ˈ t r oʊ b r ɪ dʒ / TROH -brij ) is the county town of Wiltshire , England; situated on the River Biss in the west of the county, close to the border with Somerset . The town lies 8 miles (13 km) south-east of Bath , 31 miles (50 km) south-west of Swindon and 20 miles (32 km) south-east of Bristol . The parish had a population of 37,169 in 2021. Long

196-540: A market town , the Kennet and Avon canal to the north of Trowbridge played an instrumental part in the town's development, as it allowed coal to be transported from the Somerset Coalfield ; this marked the advent of steam-powered manufacturing in woollen cloth mills. The town was the foremost centre of woollen cloth production in south west England in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, by which time it held

294-460: A collection of beautifully illuminated historical and literary manuscripts, many made specially for him by craftsmen in Bruges. His book purchases included books for entertainment and instruction, whose contents reveal his interests. They focus on the lives of great rulers, including Julius Caesar , historical chronicles, and instructional and religious works. In 1476, William Caxton established

392-771: A compromise, whereby Henry remained king, but York and his descendants were designated his successors. The implications of removing the legally accepted heir to the throne created substantial opposition to the Yorkist administration; in late 1460, Edward was given his first independent command and sent to deal with a Lancastrian insurgency in Wales. Warwick remained in London, while York, Salisbury, and Edmund marched north to suppress another in Yorkshire ; all three were killed following defeat at Wakefield on 30 December, leaving Edward as

490-597: A habitual use of emetics , which allowed him to gorge himself at meals, then return after vomiting to start again. He fell fatally ill at Easter 1483, but survived long enough to add codicils to his will, the most important naming his brother as Protector after his death. He died on 9 April 1483 and was buried in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle . His twelve-year-old son, Edward V , was never crowned, Gloucester becoming King Richard III in July. The cause of Edward's death

588-471: A hamlet and a common to the west of the town. On John Speed 's map of Wiltshire (1611), the name is spelt Trubridge . In the 10th century, written records and architectural ruins begin marking Trowbridge's existence as a village. In the 1086 Domesday Book the village of Straburg, as Trowbridge was then known, was recorded as having 24 households, well endowed with land, particularly arable ploughlands, and rendering 8 pounds sterling to its feudal lord

686-643: A hard-fought victory at the Battle of Mortimer's Cross in Herefordshire . The battle was preceded by a meteorological phenomenon known as parhelion , or three suns, which he took as his emblem, the " Sun in splendour ". However, this was offset by Warwick's defeat at the Second Battle of St Albans on 17 February, the Lancastrians regaining custody of Henry VI. The two met in London, where Edward

784-520: A large Victorian building, is a performance and exhibition venue and is also used by community groups. At Wiltshire College the Arc Theatre is used by students and local groups. There is a concert hall at Wiltshire Music Centre in neighbouring Bradford-on-Avon . Trowbridge is part of the historic West Country Carnival circuit. There is an annual multi-day folk music festival called Trowbridge Festival , formerly Trowbridge Village Pump Festival;

882-664: A market charter, arguably the earliest for a town in Wiltshire, and one of the earliest in England. His officials were to lay out burgage plots for traders, artisans, and shopkeepers. The outline of these plots can still be seen today in the footprints of some of the present shops in Fore Street. Within Trowbridge Castle was a 10th-century Anglo-Saxon church. Henry de Bohun turned this to secular use and instead had

980-533: A new church built outside the Castle; this was the first St James's Church. In the base of the tower of the present day church, below the subsequently added spire, can be seen the Romanesque architecture of the period. In 1200 Henry de Bohun was created Earl of Hereford by King John . Like other barons, Henry was later threatened by King John and his caput of Trowbridge was taken from him. Henry then joined with

1078-539: A number of years, with Newland Homes building town centre flats incorporating the frontage of the Usher's building. In April 2009, building work started on one of the town's biggest brownfield sites, the former Usher's bottling plant. This was developed into a Sainsbury's supermarket, a public square and housing. There is much of architectural interest in Trowbridge, including many of the old buildings associated with

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1176-659: A site adjoining the A361 on County Way, and their former site remained dormant for a decade. The building was demolished but a pile of rubble, nicknamed 'Mount Crushmore' by local media, remained. Legal & General acquired the land and construction of St Stephen's Place Leisure Park began in 2012. A seven-screen Odeon cinema and Nando's restaurant opened in October 2013. A Premier Inn and food outlets including Frankie and Benny's and Prezzo followed in 2014. The former Usher's brewery site has also undergone redevelopment over

1274-602: A thousand people and donated a school, almshouses, and the Trowbridge Town Hall to the town. David Stratton , the film critic was born in Trowbridge in 1939. He founded the Melksham and District Film Society before emigrating to Australia in 1963, where he ran the Sydney Film Festival for 17 years, as well as presenting the film review shows The Movie Show on SBS and At The Movies on

1372-554: A treaty with Louis XI of France , which included a suggested marriage between Edward and Anne of France or Bona of Savoy , respectively daughter and sister-in-law of the French king. In October 1464, Warwick was enraged to discover that on 1 May, Edward had secretly married Elizabeth Woodville , a widow with two sons, whose Lancastrian husband, John Grey of Groby , died at the Second Battle of St Albans. If nothing else, it

1470-616: A viable Lancastrian figurehead, and the 1450s was dominated by political conflict between the two factions. By the age of 17, the Earl of March was a political and military leader in his own right; after their defeat at the Battle of Ludford Bridge in 1459, his father and brother Edmund fled to Ireland, while the Earls of March, Salisbury and Warwick made their way to Calais. Edward's name appears alongside those of his father, Warwick and Salisbury in widely circulated manifestoes declaring their quarrel

1568-615: A year, but was caught and imprisoned in the Tower of London . There was little point in killing him while his son remained alive since this would have transferred the Lancastrian claim from a frail captive to one who was young and free. Most of the nobility had either remained loyal to Henry or stayed neutral, forcing Edward to rely heavily on the Nevilles. Consolidating the regime initially took precedence, but John Neville 's victory at

1666-410: A year. Its feudal lord was an Anglo-Saxon named Brictric , who was the largest landowner in Wiltshire. The first mention of Trowbridge Castle was in 1139 when it was besieged. It was no longer in military use by the 14th century and by the 16th only ruins remained. The castle is thought to have been a motte-and-bailey castle, and its influence can still be seen in the town today. Fore Street follows

1764-560: Is composed of 21 councillors . County Hall in Bythesea Road, Trowbridge, is the administrative centre for Wiltshire Council , a unitary authority created in April 2009 which replaced both West Wiltshire District Council and the former Wiltshire County Council , also headquartered at County Hall since 1940. Trowbridge civil parish is divided into seven electoral divisions, each electing one member of Wiltshire Council. Trowbridge

1862-509: Is the capital of Northern Ireland, it is not the county town of any county. Greater Belfast straddles two counties – Antrim and Down. Jamaica's three counties were established in 1758 to facilitate the holding of courts along the lines of the British county court system, with each county having a county town. The counties have no current administrative relevance. Edward IV of England Edward IV (28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483)

1960-633: Is the county town of Lancashire , but the county council is in Preston . Due to the creation of unitary authorities , some county towns in Great Britain are administratively separate from the county. For example, Nottingham is separated from the rest of Nottinghamshire , and Brighton and Hove is separate from East Sussex . On a ceremonial level, both are in their own respective counties geographically. This list shows towns or cities which held county functions at various points in time. Following

2058-417: Is uncertain; allegations of poison were common in an era when lack of medical knowledge meant death often had no obvious explanation. Other suggestions include pneumonia or malaria , although both were well-known and easy to describe. One contemporary attributed it to apoplexy brought on by excess, which fits with what is known of his physical habits. Another theory is that Edward died of syphilis. While

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2156-612: Is within the South West Wiltshire parliamentary constituency, which has been represented by Andrew Murrison ( Conservative ) since its formation in 2010. The River Biss enters Trowbridge from the southeast, where it flows through Biss Meadows, managed as a country park. In the north of the town it is joined by the Lambrok Stream, then continues north to join the River Avon near Staverton . Northwest of

2254-575: The ABC . Nick Blackwell , professional boxer and former British middleweight champion, is from Trowbridge, as are footballer Nathan Dyer (who played for Leicester City in the 2015-16 season when they won the Premier League), disgraced snooker player Stephen Lee , and Daniel Talbot , winner of the 4 × 100 m relay at the 2017 World Athletics Championships in a time of 37.47sec – the third fastest time in history. The Oliver Twins , who created

2352-654: The Battle of Wakefield in December 1460. After defeating Lancastrian armies at Mortimer's Cross and Towton in early 1461, he deposed King Henry VI and took the throne. His marriage to Elizabeth Woodville in 1464 led to conflict with his chief advisor, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick , known as the "Kingmaker". In 1470, a revolt led by Warwick and Edward's brother George, Duke of Clarence , briefly re-installed Henry VI . Edward fled to Flanders , where he gathered support and invaded England in March 1471; after victories at

2450-609: The Dizzy series of games amongst others, and in 1990 founded Interactive Studios (later Blitz Games), grew up in Trowbridge. A building at the Clarendon Academy is named after the brothers. Dick Lucas , founding member and main vocalist of punk rock band Subhumans was born in Trowbridge. County town The concept of a county town is ill-defined and unofficial. Some counties in Great Britain have their administrative bodies housed elsewhere. For example, Lancaster

2548-597: The Hundred Years' War , following his invasion of France in 1475, but he was assuaged by Louis XI in the Treaty of Picquigny . This treaty formally ended the Hundred Years' War, which had been in abeyance since the Battle of Castillon in 1453. Following his sudden death in April 1483, Edward was briefly succeeded by his son Edward V ; his younger brother, Richard, was appointed Lord Protector of England for

2646-613: The Norman invasion of Wales , the Cambro-Normans created the historic shire system (also known as ancient counties). Many of these counties were named for the centre of Norman power within the new county (Caernarfonshire named for Caernarfon, Monmouthshire named for Monmouth) others were named after the previous medieval Welsh kingdoms (Ceredigon becomes Cardigan, Morgannwg becomes Glamorgan). The 1535 Laws in Wales Act established

2744-563: The Siege of Neuss , Louis opened negotiations. Soon after Edward landed at Calais, the two signed the Treaty of Picquigny . Edward received an immediate payment of 75,000 crowns , plus a yearly pension of 50,000 crowns, thus allowing him to recoup the costs of his army. In 1482, Edward backed an attempt to usurp the Scottish throne by Alexander Stewart, 1st Duke of Albany , brother of James III of Scotland . Gloucester invaded Scotland and took

2842-560: The 130 years to 1951, compared to a considerably larger increase in the population of the country as a whole. From 1951 to 2011, the population increased by 133%. Coinciding with this increase, a considerable conversion of arable fields and some riverside meadows to residential estates took place. According to the census in 2011, the ethnic breakdown of the population of Trowbridge parish was: White 94.8%, Mixed/multiple ethnic groups 1.9%, Asian/Asian British 1.5%, Black/African/Caribbean/Black British 1.1%, Other ethnic group 0.8%. The population of

2940-453: The 1464 Battle of Hexham seemed to end the Lancastrian threat. This exposed internal divisions, particularly over foreign policy, which in this period largely focused on the relationship between England, France and the Duchy of Burgundy , with two of the parties manoeuvring to form an alliance against the third. Although Edward preferred Burgundy as a partner, he allowed Warwick to negotiate

3038-653: The 2021 Census, the population of the "built-up area" – consisting of Trowbridge, Staverton and Hilperton parishes – was 43,744. Trowbridge railway station was opened in 1848 on the Westbury – Bradford-on-Avon section of the Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway . Today this line forms part of both the Wessex Main Line (Bristol–Westbury–Southampton) and the Heart of Wessex Line (Bristol–Westbury–Weymouth), while

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3136-477: The 2024 edition was held at Southwick , near Trowbridge. Methodism was introduced to the town by local evangelist Joanna Turner in the 18th century. Trowbridge was the birthplace of Sir Isaac Pitman in 1813, developer of the Pitman system of shorthand writing, who has several memorial plaques. Matthew Hutton (later archbishop of Canterbury) was the town's rector from 1726 to 1730. The poet George Crabbe held

3234-463: The Clarendon Academy , the John of Gaunt School and St Augustine's Catholic College . All of the secondary schools also operate their own sixth forms . Larkrise School is a special school for children aged 3 to 19. Wiltshire College has one of its four campuses in Trowbridge offering a range of vocational courses for school-leavers. Trowbridge Cottage Hospital , now Trowbridge Community Hospital

3332-528: The Duke of Clarence, who held estates adjacent to the Neville heartland in the north. Concerned by this, Edward blocked a proposed marriage between Clarence and Warwick's eldest daughter Isabel . In early July, Clarence defied his brother by travelling to Calais, where he married Isabel in a ceremony conducted by George Neville and overseen by Warwick. The three men issued a 'remonstrance', listing alleged abuses by

3430-572: The Duke of York, who was short and dark. His youngest brother, who later became King Richard III , closely resembled their father. During Edward's youth, there was economic decline in England and military defeat abroad, exacerbated by a weak and corrupt central government. Both Edward and his younger brother Edmund, Earl of Rutland , were born in Rouen, where their father, the Duke of York, served as governor of English lands in France until 1445, when he

3528-453: The Lancastrian nobility were enormous and explain the enduring bitterness among those who survived. Since 1996, excavations have uncovered over 50 skeletons from the battle; an analysis of their injuries shows the brutality of the contest, including extensive post-mortem mutilations. Margaret fled to Scotland with Edward of Westminster, while the new king returned to London for his 28 June 1461 coronation . Henry VI remained at large for over

3626-531: The War of the Roses has been documented by numerous historians, Edward as an individual is less well known; 19th century historians like William Stubbs generally dismissed him as a bloodthirsty nonentity. The most comprehensive modern biography was written by Charles Ross in 1974, who concluded the peace and stability of his later reign was squandered in short-term aggrandisement. He further suggests that Edward "remains

3724-626: The Woodvilles and other advisors close to Edward and then returned to London, where they assembled an army to remove these 'evil councillors' and establish good government. With Edward still in the north, the royal army was defeated by a Neville force at Edgecote Moor on 24 July 1469. After the battle, Edward was held in Middleham Castle ; on 12 August, his father-in-law Richard Woodville and Richard's younger son, John Woodville , were executed at Kenilworth . It soon became clear there

3822-582: The Yorkist regime was deeply unpopular and the Lancastrians rapidly assembled an army of over 30,000; when John Neville switched sides, Edward narrowly escaped capture and was forced to seek refuge in Bruges . Edward took refuge in Flanders , part of the Duchy of Burgundy, accompanied by a few hundred men, including his younger brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester, Anthony Woodville and William Hastings. The Duchy

3920-486: The Yorkists at Edgecote in 1469 and his defection confirmed Clarence's decision to switch sides; as they marched south, more recruits came in, including 3,000 at Leicester. Edward entered London unopposed and took Henry prisoner; Warwick was defeated and killed at the Battle of Barnet on 14 April, while a second Lancastrian army was destroyed at the Battle of Tewkesbury on 4 May. Sixteen-year-old Edward of Westminster,

4018-622: The administrative headquarters in some cases moved away from the traditional county town. Furthermore, in 1965 and 1974 there were major boundary changes in England and Wales and administrative counties were replaced with new metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties . The boundaries underwent further alterations between 1995 and 1998 to create unitary authorities , and some of the ancient counties and county towns were restored. (Note: not all headquarters are or were called County Halls or Shire Halls e.g.: Cumbria County Council's HQ up until 2016

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4116-442: The battles of Barnet and Tewkesbury (where both the Earl of Warwick and Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales , were killed), he resumed the throne. Shortly afterwards, Henry VI was found dead in the Tower of London , possibly killed on Edward's orders. Despite facing an overseas threat from Henry Tudor , the last remaining Lancastrian claimant, Edward reigned in relative peace for the next twelve years. Edward nearly restarted

4214-459: The built-up area, which includes Staverton and Hilperton parishes, was 39,409 in 2011 and was estimated to have grown to 43,719 by mid-2020. In 2018 the Office for National Statistics estimated the population of the larger "community area" at 45,822, making Trowbridge the most populous area in Wiltshire (excluding Swindon), with Chippenham close behind in second place and Salisbury third. At

4312-465: The daughters of the Earl and Countess of Warwick and heirs to their mother's considerable inheritance. Many of the estates held by the brothers had been granted by Edward, who could also remove them, making them dependent on his favour. This was not the case with property acquired through marriage and explains the importance of this dispute. The last significant rebellion ended in February 1474 with

4410-509: The duration of the new king's minority, but quickly seized the throne as Richard III . Edward was born on 28 April 1442 at Rouen in Normandy , eldest surviving son of Richard, 3rd Duke of York , and Cecily Neville . Until his father's death, he was known as the Earl of March . Both his parents were direct descendants of King Edward III , giving Edward a potential claim to the throne. This

4508-578: The economy recovered from the depression of 1450 to 1470 , Edward's spending habitually exceeded income; on his death in 1483, the Crown had less than £1,200 in cash. His close relationship with the London branch of the Medici Bank ended in its bankruptcy; in 1517, the Medicis were still seeking repayment of Edward's debts. Economics was closely linked to foreign policy; Edward's reign was dominated by

4606-504: The end. The last mill, Salter's Home Mill, closed in 1982 and is now the home of Boswell's Café and Trowbridge Museum and Art Gallery, integrated into the Shires Shopping Centre . The museum portrays the history of woollen cloth production in the town; the displays include a rare Spinning Jenny , one of only five remaining worldwide. There are also working looms on display. Clark's Mill is now home to offices; straddling

4704-660: The evidence for these is circumstantial. Edward IV's eldest son, also named Edward, was made Prince of Wales when he was seven months old and given his own household at the age of three. Based in Ludlow Castle , he was supervised by his uncle, Anthony Woodville, 2nd Earl Rivers, who also acted as his regent for the Council of Wales and the Marches . The historical consensus is he and his brother Richard were killed, probably between July and September 1483; debate on who gave

4802-530: The first English printing press in the outbuildings of Westminster Abbey ; on 18 November 1477, he produced Sayengis of the Philosophres , translated into English for Edward by his brother-in-law Anthony Woodville . It is not known where or how Edward's library was stored, but it is recorded that he transferred volumes from the Great Wardrobe to Eltham Palace and that he had a yeoman "to kepe

4900-478: The funds instead to finance his household expenditures. Under his rule, ownership of the Duchy of Lancaster was transferred to the Crown, where it remains today. In 1478, his staff prepared the so-called 'Black Book', a comprehensive review of government finances, still in use a century later. He invested heavily in business ventures with the City of London , which he used as an additional source of funding. Although

4998-424: The grounds his brother's marriage to Elizabeth Woodville was invalid. The Titulus Regius argued that the alleged pre-contract of marriage between Edward IV and Lady Eleanor Talbot rendered his marriage to Elizabeth Woodville void. Both Eleanor and Edward were dead, but according to Philippe de Commines , Robert Stillington, Bishop of Bath and Wells, claimed to have carried out the ceremony himself. Once secure on

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5096-502: The heir to the throne, died on the battlefield, with surviving leaders like Somerset executed shortly afterwards. This was followed by Henry's death a few days later; a contemporary chronicle claimed this was due to "melancholy" but it is generally assumed he was killed on Edward's orders. Although the Lancastrian cause seemed at an end, the regime was destabilised by a quarrel between Clarence and his brother Gloucester. The two were married to Isabel Neville and Anne Neville , respectively,

5194-491: The historic counties in English law , but in Wales they were later replaced with eight preserved counties for ceremonial purposes and the twenty two principal areas are used for administrative purposes. Neither of these subdivisions use official county towns, although their administrative headquarters and ceremonial centres are often located in the historic county town. With the creation of elected county councils in 1889,

5292-586: The king's bookes". More than forty of his books survive intact from the 15th century, which suggests they were carefully stored, and are in the Royal Collection of manuscripts , held by the British Library. Edward spent large sums on Eltham Palace , including the extant Great Hall, the site of a feast for 2,000 people in December 1482, shortly before his death in April. He also began great improvements to St George's Chapel, Windsor , where he

5390-691: The lands known as the Burgundian Netherlands , became part of the Holy Roman Empire and France acquired the rest. Edward and his successors lost much of their imfluence. Edward's court was described by a visitor from Europe as "the most splendid ... in all Christendom ". He spent large amounts on expensive status symbols to show off his power and wealth as king of England, while his collecting habits show an eye for style and an interest in scholarship, particularly history. He acquired fine clothes, jewels, and furnishings, as well as

5488-511: The loss of Gascony , an English possession for over 300 years. The Duke of York took over the government, his chief supporters being Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury , and Salisbury's eldest son, Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick . In January 1454, 12-year-old Edward accompanied his father to London to attend the Great Council . The birth of King Henry VI's son, Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales , in October 1453 created

5586-524: The losses, was appointed King Henry's chief minister. English politics became dominated by the struggle between the Yorkists and supporters of the House of Lancaster , or Lancastrians, notably the Duke of Somerset, William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk , and King Henry VI's wife, Margaret of Anjou . Matters came to a head in August 1453 when King Henry VI collapsed into a catatonic stupor on hearing news of

5684-416: The marriage was an impulsive decision, but differ on whether it was also a "calculated political move". One view is the low status of the Woodvilles was part of the attraction, since unlike the Nevilles, they were reliant on Edward and thus more likely to remain loyal. Others argue if this was his purpose, there were far better options available; all agree it had significant political implications that impacted

5782-493: 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. In its place a bedding industry developed, initially using wool cast off from the mills; the company now known as Airsprung Furniture Group was started in the town in the 1870s. Food production also developed in

5880-481: The new head of the Yorkist party. At this stage of Edward's career, contemporaries like Philippe de Commines described him as handsome, affable, and energetic. Unusually tall for the period at 6 feet 4 inches (193 centimetres), he was an impressive sight in armour, and took care to wear splendid clothes. This was done deliberately to contrast him with King Henry VI, whose physical and mental frailties undermined his position. On 2 February 1461, Edward won

5978-456: The new regime. Backed by wealthy Flemish merchants, in March 1471 Edward landed near Hull , close to his estates in Yorkshire. Supporters were reluctant to join him; the important northern city of York opened its gates only when he claimed to be seeking the return of his dukedom, like Henry IV seventy years earlier. The first significant contingent to join was a group of 600 men under William Parr and James Harrington . Parr fought against

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6076-408: The nickname "The Manchester of the West". The parish encompasses the settlements of Longfield, Lower Studley, Upper Studley, Studley Green and Trowle Common. The origin of the name Trowbridge is uncertain; one source claims derivation from treow-brycg , meaning "Tree Bridge", referring to the first bridge over the Biss, while another states the true meaning is the bridge by Trowle , the name of

6174-404: The only king in English history since 1066 in active possession of his throne who failed to secure the safe succession of his son. His lack of political foresight is largely to blame for the unhappy aftermath of his early death." Commentators observe a marked difference between Edward's first period as king, and the second. The failure of attempts to reconcile former enemies like Somerset meant he

6272-538: The orders, and why, continues, although their uncle Richard III was the beneficiary. By mid-August, Elizabeth Woodville was certain of the deaths of her sons; after her initial grief turned to fury, she opened secret talks with Margaret Beaufort. She promised her support in return for Henry's agreement to marry her eldest daughter Elizabeth. In December 1483, Henry swore an oath to do so, which he duly carried out after his coronation in October 1485. Prior to his succession, Richard III declared his nephews illegitimate, on

6370-432: The original route to Melksham, Chippenham and Swindon is used by the TransWilts service. Other services from Trowbridge join the Great Western Main Line at Bath and Chippenham , or join the Reading to Taunton line at Westbury. Trowbridge is about 18 miles (29 km) from junction 17 of the M4 motorway at Chippenham . The A361 runs through the town, connecting it to Swindon to the north-east and Barnstaple to

6468-427: The other barons to oppose John's arbitrary rule and forced him to seal Magna Carta (the Great Charter) at Runnymede ; and was elected as one of the 25 enforcers of the charter. Some years after Runnymede, Henry regained control of Trowbridge. Trowbridge developed as a centre for woollen cloth production from the 14th century. Thus before the start of the Tudor period , the towns of south-west Wiltshire stood out from

6566-433: The path of the castle ditch, and town has a Castle Street and the Castle Place Shopping Centre. It is likely the Castle was built by Humphrey I de Bohun ; his family dominated the town for over a hundred years. The most notable member of the family was Henry de Bohun , born around 1176, who became lord of the manor when he was about 15 years of age. It was he who really began to shape the medieval town. In 1200 he obtained

6664-728: The rest of Edward's reign. One reason for this was that twelve of the new queen's siblings survived into adulthood, creating a large pool of competitors for offices and estates, as well as in the matrimony market. Resentment built when her sisters made a series of advantageous unions, including that of Catherine Woodville to Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham ; Anne Woodville to William, heir to Henry Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex ; and Eleanor Woodville with Anthony, heir to Edmund Grey, 1st Earl of Kent . In 1467, Edward dismissed his Lord Chancellor , Warwick's brother George Neville, Archbishop of York . Warwick responded by building an alliance with Edward's disaffected younger brother and heir,

6762-428: The rest of the county with all the signs of increasing wealth and prosperity during the period of trade recovery led by exports begun under Yorkist Edward IV and, still more, during expansion under Henry VII , when England's annual woollen exports increased from some 60,000 to some 80,000 cloths of assize. During the 17th century the production of woollen cloth became increasingly industrialised. However, mechanisation

6860-402: The same position from 1814 until his death in 1832. Mary Mortimer , born in Trowbridge in 1816, became an American educator. Sir William Cook , born in Trowbridge in 1905, was involved with the development of the British nuclear bomb at Aldermaston in the 1950s, becoming the establishment's deputy director. Sir William Roger Brown (1831–1902), a Trowbridge mill-owner, employed more than

6958-721: The south-west, while the north–south A350 primary route to Poole passes close to the town. The nearest airport is Bristol Airport , which is 30 miles (48 km) west. Primary schools in the town include Bellefield Primary School, The Grove Primary School, Holbrook Primary School, Oasis Academy Longmeadow, Paxcroft Primary School, The Mead Community Primary School, Newtown Primary School, Castle Mead School, St John's Catholic Primary School, Studley Green Primary School and Walwayne Court Primary School. Children may also attend schools in adjacent parishes including North Bradley CE Primary School, Hilperton CE Primary School and Staverton CE Primary School. Secondary schools in Trowbridge are

7056-509: The surrender of John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford , who survived to command the Lancastrian army at Bosworth in 1485. Clarence was widely suspected of involvement, a factor in his eventual execution in the Tower on 18 February 1478; claims he was "drowned in a butt of Malmsey wine" appears to have been a joke by Edward, referring to his favourite drink. In 1475, Edward allied with Burgundy and declared war on France. With Duke Charles busy with

7154-596: The textile industry, and the Newtown conservation area, a protected zone of mostly Victorian houses. The town has six Grade I listed buildings , namely St James's Church , Lovemead House on Roundstone Street, and numbers 46, 64, 68 and 70 Fore Street. The latter is referred to more commonly as Parade House . Trowbridge Town Hall is in Market Street, opposite the entrance to the now-pedestrianised Fore Street. This three-storey building with an Italianate clock-tower

7252-401: The three-sided diplomatic contest between England, France, and Burgundy, with two of the three seeking to ally against the third. As Flemish merchants were the largest buyers of English wool, Edward was generally pro-Burgundian, although Duke Charles' reluctance to support him in 1471 cooled their relationship. The death of Charles in 1477 led to the 1482 Treaty of Arras ; Flanders, along with

7350-543: The throne, Henry VII annulled the Titulus Regius and arrested Stillington, who died in prison in 1491. Despite this apparent resolution, the Yorkist cause continued well into the 16th century. The most famous are the pretenders Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck , but Yorkist challengers remained a concern for Henry VII and his son. In 1541, Henry VIII executed Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury , daughter of

7448-476: The town of Edinburgh , but not Edinburgh Castle , where James was being held prisoner by his nobles. Albany switched sides and without siege equipment, the English army was forced to withdraw, with little to show for an expensive campaign, apart from the capture of Berwick Castle . Edward's health began to fail, and he became subject to an increasing number of ailments; his physicians attributed this in part to

7546-459: The town through companies such as frozen food processor Apetito . The largest employers are Wiltshire Council and Apetito. Since 2002, there have been plans in place to redevelop significant town centre sites. Trowbridge Community Area Future (TCAF) produced a Community Area Plan in 2004, to guide future development. In the early 1990s the supermarket chain Tesco moved from St Stephen's Place to

7644-620: The town when Abraham Bowyer started his business in 1805 which eventually, as Pork Farms Bowyers , became one of the largest employers in the town until closure in April 2008 when production moved to the Shaftesbury and Nottingham factories. The town became the county town of Wiltshire in 1889 when Wiltshire County Council was formed and sought a place which representatives from Swindon and Salisbury, among others, could reach and return home from in one day. Trowbridge fulfilled this criterion by virtue of its railway connections and thus

7742-638: The town, part of the Avon Green Belt prevents expansion towards Bradford-on-Avon . To the north and northwest, housing areas in Staverton and Hilperton parishes are contiguous with Trowbridge's urban area; however, to the south and southeast, the villages of Southwick , North Bradley , Yarnbrook and West Ashton maintain their separate identities. The first official census of 1801 showed Trowbridge having 5,799 inhabitants, which rose sharply to 9,545 in 1821. The population rose by less than 50% in

7840-533: Was Jane Shore , later compelled by Richard III to perform public penance at Paul's Cross ; Thomas More claimed this backfired, since "albeit she were out of al array save her kyrtle only: yet went she so fair & lovely ... that her great shame wan her much praise." Edward had several acknowledged illegitimate children; There are claims for many others, including Mary, second wife of Henry Harman of Ellam, and Isabel Mylbery (born circa 1470), who married John Tuchet, son of John Tuchet, 6th Baron Audley . However,

7938-516: Was King of England from 4 March 1461 to 3 October 1470, then again from 11 April 1471 until his death in 1483. He was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses , a series of civil wars in England fought between the Yorkist and Lancastrian factions between 1455 and 1487. Edward inherited the Yorkist claim to the throne at the age of eighteen when his father, Richard, Duke of York , was killed at

8036-412: Was a clear demonstration he was not in control of the king, despite suggestions to the contrary. Edward's motives have been widely discussed by contemporaries and historians. Although Elizabeth's mother, Jacquetta of Luxembourg , came from the upper nobility, her father, Richard Woodville, Lord Rivers , was a middle-ranking provincial baron. The Privy Council told Edward with unusual frankness that "she

8134-618: Was buried in 1483; later completed by Henry VII, it was badly damaged during the First English Civil War , and little of the original work remains. Edward had ten children by Elizabeth Woodville , seven of whom survived him; they were declared illegitimate under the 1484 Titulus Regius , an act repealed by Henry VII, who married Edward's eldest daughter, Elizabeth. Edward had numerous mistresses, including Lady Eleanor Talbot and Elizabeth Lucy , possibly daughter of Thomas Waite (or Wayte), of Southampton. The most famous

8232-476: Was called The Courts and has since moved to Cumbria House.) Before 1974, many of the county halls were in towns and cities that had the status of a county borough i.e. a borough outside the county council's jurisdiction. The follow lists the location of the administration of each of the 31 local authorities in the Republic of Ireland, with 26 of the traditional counties. Note – Despite the fact that Belfast

8330-481: Was chosen as the county town, further reinforced by the construction of the county hall in 1939. 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 and its equipment was sold to North Korea , where it forms the core of the Taedonggang brewery, just outside Pyongyang . Food production continues in

8428-636: Was compensated with the title Marquess of Montagu , but this was a significant demotion for a key supporter. In March 1470, Warwick and Clarence exploited a private feud to start the 1470 Lincolnshire Rebellion ; when it was defeated, the two fled to France in May 1470. Seeing an opportunity, Louis XI persuaded Warwick to negotiate with his enemy, Margaret of Anjou; she eventually agreed, first making him kneel before her in silence for fifteen minutes. With French support, Warwick landed in England on 9 September 1470 and announced his intention to restore Henry. By now,

8526-506: Was hastily appointed king, before marching north, where the two sides met at the Battle of Towton . Fought on 29 March in the middle of a snowstorm, it was the bloodiest battle ever to take place on English soil, and ended in a decisive Yorkist victory. Estimates of the dead range from 9,000 to 20,000; figures are uncertain, as most of the mass graves were emptied or moved over the centuries, while corpses were generally stripped of clothing or armour before burial. Nevertheless, casualties among

8624-616: Was little support for Warwick or Clarence; Edward was released in September and resumed the throne. Outwardly, the situation remained unchanged, but tensions persisted and Edward did nothing to reduce the Nevilles' sense of vulnerability. The Percys, traditional rivals of the Neville family in the North, fought for Lancaster at Towton; their titles and estates were confiscated and given to Warwick's brother John Neville. In early 1470, Edward reinstated Henry Percy as Earl of Northumberland ; John

8722-405: Was no wife for a prince such as himself, for she was not the daughter of a duke or earl." The marriage was certainly unwise and unusual, although not unheard of; Henry VI's mother, Catherine of Valois , married her chamberlain, Owen Tudor . By all accounts, Elizabeth possessed considerable charm of person and intellect, while Edward was used to getting what he wanted. Historians generally accept

8820-406: Was noticeably more ruthless after 1471, including the execution of his brother Clarence. In his youth, Edward was a capable and charismatic military commander, who led from the front, but as he grew older, the energy noted by contemporaries became less apparent. One effect of this was that Parliament became increasingly reluctant to approve taxes for wars which Edward failed to prosecute, then used

8918-552: Was only with Henry's evil counsellors. In 1460, Edward crossed the English Channel with Warwick and Salisbury, and marched into London. At Northampton in July, he commanded one of three divisions in a Yorkist victory that led to the capture of Henry VI. York returned from Ireland; on entering the Palace of Westminster , he declared himself king, a claim greeted by the assembled lords in silence. The Act of Accord agreed

9016-538: Was opened in 1870. The town centre is compact, and the focus for shops is the ancient Fore Street; the more modern Shires , Shires Gateway and Castle Place shopping centres provide a variety of outlets. The civic centre, opened in 2011 and next to the town's central park, is a conference and entertainment venue and is home to the town's information centre as well as Trowbridge Town Council. A nearby leisure development includes an Odeon cinema and several food vendors ( Wagamama , Nando's etc.). The former Town Hall ,

9114-404: Was presented to the residents of the town by a local mill-owner, Sir William Roger Brown , in 1889 to celebrate Queen Victoria's golden jubilee . The building was the seat of local government until 1974 and subsequently accommodated the magistrates' courts until 2003. More recently it has been used for exhibitions and community events. The Town Council is the first tier of local government and

9212-592: Was replaced by Henry Beaufort, 3rd Duke of Somerset . Edward and Edmund were probably brought up at Ludlow Castle , in the Welsh Marches , where the Duke of York was the dominant landowner. In 1447, the Duke of York was made chief governor of Ireland , although he did not take up the post until 1449. Most of Normandy was recaptured by the French, leaving Calais as the last English possession in Northern France; Somerset, whom many held responsible for

9310-479: Was resisted by workers in traditional trades; there were riots in 1785 and 1792, and again in the era of Luddism (1811–1816) owing to the introduction of the flying shuttle . Thomas Helliker , a shearman's apprentice, became one of the martyrs of the Industrial Revolution in 1803 when he was hanged at Fisherton Jail, Salisbury . Nevertheless, at one point in 1820, Trowbridge's scale of production

9408-677: Was ruled by Charles the Bold , husband of his sister Margaret; he provided minimal help, something Edward never forgot. The restored Lancastrian regime faced the same issue that dominated Henry's previous reign. Mental and physical frailties made him incapable of ruling and resulted in an internal struggle for control, made worse because the coalition that put him back on the throne consisted of bitter enemies. Edmund Beaufort, 4th Duke of Somerset , held Warwick responsible for his father 's death in 1455, while he had executed his elder brother in 1464; Warwick and Clarence quickly found themselves isolated by

9506-421: Was strengthened in 1447, when York became heir to the childless King Henry VI on the death of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester . Allegations of illegitimacy were discounted at the time as politically inspired, and by later historians. Edward and his siblings George, Duke of Clarence , and Margaret, Duchess of Burgundy , were physically very similar, all three being tall and blonde, in contrast to their father,

9604-484: Was such it was described as the " Manchester of the West". It had over 20 woollen cloth producing factories, making it comparable to northern industrial towns such as Rochdale . The woollen cloth industry declined in the late 19th century with the advent of ring-spinning , and this decline continued throughout the 20th century, although Trowbridge's West of England cloth maintained a reputation for excellent quality until

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