Swindon & Wiltshire News
Plans to revitalise Devizes Assize Court as a museum take another step forward
Ambitious plans to revitalise Devizes Assize Court as a museum have taken another step forward, with a planning application ready to be submitted.
The application will seek Wiltshire Council’s permission to restore the ‘at risk’ Grade II* listed building and transform it into a new home for the Wiltshire Museum – home to the best Bronze Age archaeology collection in Britain.
The Devizes Assize Court was built in 1835 and has been derelict since the 1980s. It has been on Historic England’s ‘Heritage At Risk register’ since the scheme’s inception in 1988.
Wiltshire Museum has been engaging visitors since 1874 in its current buildings on Long Street, Devizes and is home to designated collections, including stunning treasures from the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site landscape.
Wiltshire Museum and the Devizes Assize Court Trust (DACT) have been working together to develop the project ‘Assizes for Devizes: Unlocking Wiltshire’s Stories’, which received initial funding support of £300,748 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund in June 2023.
Thanks to National Lottery Players, the project has been progressing through it’s ‘Development Phase’ – a two-year planning period to develop architectural plans, alongside designs for the Museum’s new galleries and an exciting programme of community activities and events.
The project’s architects, Purcell, and their experienced design team have worked closely with the Museum, DACT and local organisations, to bring to life a shared vision for the new site as a cultural and community destination at the heart of Wiltshire.
Artist impression of the courtyard at the rear of the Assize Court
The plans include two large, designated learning and event spaces, new galleries, a special display space capable of hosting national-standard exhibitions, and a café that makes use of the new open space behind the Assize Court.
An application to The National Lottery Heritage Fund will be submitted in summer 2025 for the major funding that is needed to make the project a reality.
Over the next year, the Museum will be preparing applications to Trusts and Foundations, as well as seeking support from philanthropists and benefactors.
If successful, work on the building will begin during 2026, with the aim to open the building in 2030.
A major public fundraising appeal will be launched once the major commitment from The National Lottery Heritage Fund has been secured.
Clare Phillips, lead architect at Purcell, said: “We have all enjoyed the collaborative process of unlocking the potential of the former Assize Courts to create a welcoming and inclusive new home for the internationally significant Wiltshire Museum collection.
“The project is very important because it restores the impressive Grecian style building designed by Thomas Henry Wyatt, which is in very poor condition, and brings it back into community use as part of the sharing and celebrating of Wiltshire’s stories.”
Peter Troughton, chair of the Devizes Assize Court Trust, said: “We are delighted to have reached this important milestone in our project to restore the Devizes Assize Court and bring it back for the people of Devizes for community use.
“The Trust is very grateful for the support we have had so far. There is still a long road ahead of us, but to see our vision of a revitalised building one step closer to fruition is fantastic.”
Pictured: Artist’s impressions showing the Assize Court when the building is open, by Richard Carman
Latest: Wiltshire Museum raises first £1 million to bring Devizes Assize Court back to life
