Wiltshire market town where the Kennet and Avon Canal climbs through the 29-lock Caen Hill flight.
Devizes is a market town in the heart of Wiltshire, surrounded by chalk downland and sitting at a crossroads that has been important since the Normans built a castle here. The town's real draw is the Kennet and Avon Canal, which climbs through Devizes on the Caen Hill flight — a staircase of 29 locks rising 72 metres in just over three kilometres. Watching narrowboats work their way up the flight is mesmerising, and the towpath walk is one of the best in southern England.
The market square is one of the largest in the west of England, ringed by coaching inns and Georgian townhouses. The Wiltshire Museum holds an outstanding Bronze Age collection, including the gold found at nearby Bush Barrow — burial goods older than Stonehenge. On Thursdays, the market still fills the square.
Devizes is well placed for exploring the Wiltshire landscape. The Wandsdyke, the White Horse at Cherhill, and the stone circles at Avebury are all within easy reach. The town has no railway station, so you will need a car or bus from Swindon or Bath.
Guide
Day Trips
Devizes is one of the best bases for exploring prehistoric Wiltshire. Avebury is just 8 miles north — the great stone circle and its surrounding henge are more atmospheric and far less crowded than Stonehenge, and you can walk among the stones freely. Stonehenge itself is about 20 miles southeast via the A360 and worth the trip for its iconic silhouette, though the visitor experience is more managed.
Closer to town, the Cherhill White Horse cut into the chalk escarpment north of the A4 is visible for miles and makes a good short walk. The Wandsdyke — a Dark Ages earthwork running east-west across the Wiltshire downs — can be walked in sections from several car parks south of Devizes. Marlborough, 12 miles northeast, has a wide high street and good independent shops, and makes a pleasant contrast to a morning of prehistoric monuments.
Guide
Getting There
Devizes has no railway station — the branch line closed in 1966 — so getting there without a car takes some planning. The most useful bus connections are from Swindon (about 45 minutes) and Trowbridge, with services running several times a day on weekdays and less frequently at weekends. Bath is roughly 20 miles to the west; Salisbury about 25 miles to the southeast; Avebury is 8 miles north on the A361.
By car, Devizes is straightforward to reach from the M4 (junction 15 for Swindon, then the A338 and A342) or from Bath via the A365 and A361. There is a large pay-and-display car park near the canal basin and street parking in parts of the town centre. The town is compact enough that you can walk everywhere once you arrive. For Caen Hill Locks, there is a small car park at the top of the flight on Rowde Road, which saves the 2km towpath walk from town.
