What’s going for it? There is a stern tale told on the Market Cross in Devizes of one Ruth Pierce. She was at the market one day hunting for a bargain sack of wheat with friends. They decided to pool their money, but when it was time to pay they found they were short. Ruth swore on her life she’d paid up. “She rashly repeated this awful wish,” intones the Cross, “when to the consternation and terror of the surrounding multitude, she instantly fell down and expired, having the money concealed in her hand.” Devizes forgets nothing – either long-dead fibbers like Pierce, or the drip, drip, drip of history. You can see it in its streets. Caught between the ancient earthworks of the Wiltshire Downs and the guns of Salisbury Plain, Devizes has seen it all; it has grown slowly over the centuries, and is now crammed with listed buildings like the Market Cross, each with their own tales to tell of errant citizens. Don’t be a cheating scumbag in Devizes, or they’ll carve your misdeeds in stone.
The case against This is no Frome or Totnes, those cool West Country towns full of downshifting cyberpunks. It could do with a bit of their mojo. You get the sense olives are still regarded as exotic.
Well connected? Relatively isolated. The rail line sweeps by, but doesn’t stop. So you’re reliant on (pretty slow) roads: it’s half an hour to the M4 and Swindon north, and the A303 south. Bath is 50 minutes. There’s always the Kennet & Avon canal.
Schools Primaries: Southbroom Infants, Wansdyke and Nursteed Community are all “good”, says Ofsted. Secondaries: Devizes School is “good”.
Hang out at… The town has decent pubs like the Bear or the Lamb, and an interesting restaurant in the Bistro, with its cooking school. Head out of town to the George & Dragon at Rowde for posh.
Where to buy With around 500 listed buildings in the centre, you won’t want for ’eritage. Start at the oldest spot – Castle Grounds – and work your way out. There’s property from every period. Long Street is especially rich in architecture. Farther out, hunt along roads like Bath Road, for Victorians. Suburbans: the south side is plummest, from Potterne Road and Broadleas Park to Wick Lane. Detacheds and town houses, £300,000-£800,000. Semis, £175,000-£450,000. Terraces and cottages, £125,000-£250,000. Flats, £90,000-£150,000. Rentals: one-bedroom flats, around £500pcm; three-bed houses, £800-£1,000pcm.
Bargain of the week For full-on history geeks, a 16th-century, two-bedroom cottage needing improvement and overlooking St John’s Church; £170,000, hunterfrench.co.uk.
From the streets
Carol Watkinson “Last summer the seagulls were unbearably noisy and dirty, but the eggs are being removed now and we shall see if it works.”
Lesley Mills “Awash with festivals and live music. And a good mixed population: discreet posh, arty farties, active and engaged middle-aged, farmers, the disaffected and the unfortunate.”
• Do you live in Pevensey and Pevensey Bay, East Sussex? Do you have a favourite haunt or a pet hate? If so, email lets.move@theguardian.com by Tuesday 25 August.
