Have you ever wondered why or how Wiltshire got its name? Maybe, when you consider the larger towns and city that exist in the county today you pause and wonder… shouldn’t it be called Trowshire, Swinshire or perhaps Salisshire or something like that. Well, the answer lies in what is a small market town called Wilton which lies to the west of Salisbury.
Aside from some wonderful architecture there is little today that hints at Wilton’s former prominence in the area, indeed for a long time I gave it little thought. My main encounter being when driving along the A36 on the way west to friends or some perceived more interesting places. As I skirted along on the edge of the town, it seemed that I was no sooner passing along the walled perimeter of the grounds of the stately home of the Earls of Pembroke and then the carpet factory before I was out on the other side of the settlement and enjoying the views of the Wylye Valley, almost forgetting Wilton in an instant. However, if I had taken time to read the Wilton sign more diligently I would have noticed it welcoming you to the ancient capital of Wessex and therefore the reason for the county name.
In fact, it has really only been in recent months that I have paid any particular notice of this interesting town and its amazing story. Having visited for a few walks into Grovely Woods and around Burcombe, I have found that it has a wonderful atmosphere that is simultaneously warm and welcoming but also hints of something more detached and intangible, a thing of mystery that is no longer evident but remains. Its narrow streets, the bane of the motor car, are ideal places to walk and let your mind to wander as you allow yourself to meander through the alleyways and roads, delighting at the numerous waterways that run along streets and under streets and buildings. In fact there are so many that it has prompted Mr. P. to suggest that Venice is the Wilton of the South. A giggle perhaps, but then the area has been inhabited for more than 10,000 years and it was the location of these waterways which culminate in the confluence of the rivers Nadder and Wylye at this point that the West Saxons decided to make this area their capital, some aspects that I don’t think Venice can quite boast.
Wilton takes its name from the River Wylye as the peoples who lived alongside it were known in Anglo-Saxon as “Wilsaetes.” In 771 the predecessor of Wilton Abbey was founded in the location of what is now Wilton House. It became a school of learning for the daughters of Saxon nobles. It is said that King Egbert fell in love with one of these daughters, Wulfthryth. They entered some form of temporary marriage during which time a daughter, Edith was born. The union with Egbert did not last and Wulfthryth and Edith returned to Wilton as the abbess and a nun. It seems Egbert was fond of Edith and wanted her to be an abbess elsewhere, but whether it was because of her love for Wilton or desire to be close to the seat of power she stayed until her untimely death at 23 years of age. Despite her young years, it is chronicled that Edith was able to hold her own against others and in death she made a number of miraculous appearances, such that she was canonised and became the patron saint of the town. It might be possible that she remains still buried somewhere in the grounds of Wilton House.
Egbert was a powerful ruler and as Wilton was the administrative capital he had a a palace built in the area of the town known as Kingsbury, truly making Wilton one of the most important settlements of the day.
Egbert led many battles against the heathen armies and indeed in a 1974 history of Wilton it is suggested that it was Egbert who had fought the final battle against the Danes and that Ethandun was Wilton. However, we now believe this was not the case and despite Egbert’s efforts the invading army was not vanquished and the defining battle of Ethandun was fought some years later at Edington to the north west of Wilton by Egbert’s grandson Alfred.
In fact, after losing all of his older brothers, the first thing to happen to a newly crowned Alfred was defeat at Wilton resulting in the destruction of the town. Indeed, it is thought that Alfred’s brother Ethelbert is buried at St Peter’s church, Fugglestone which sits on the outskirts of Wilton. However, with Alfred's leadership peace eventually came to what is now known as England and Wilton’s power grew again. In fact, the abbey here became so rich it was able purchase a nail that was said to be a relic of the true cross a powerful pull for the pilgrims of those times, but there were still issues from invading armies and in 1003 the town was once again raised to the ground by Sweyn the King of Denmark.
Despite this setback Wilton rebuilt and remained powerful even after the Norman Conquest until it suffered once again during The Anarchy when King Stephen took refuge in the castle here and Empress Matilda’s army burnt the town down for a final time.
Despite all of the difficulties Wilton Abbey continued on until the dissolution of the monasteries, when Henry VIII gave the land associated with the abbey to William Herbert later 1st Earl Pembroke. I haven’t been able to find out what happened to the relics of Saint Edith or the nail of the true cross, could they still be somewhere in the grounds of Wilton House? Unlikely, I think, as perhaps at least the nail could be in the treasury of the Cathedral in Trier and the other relics lost in time. However, St John's priory still remains from that time as does the partially ruined church of St Mary in the centre of the town.
With the Herberts came a more peaceful time for Wilton. Their taste for art and culture giving the town a chance to evolve in a different way. Right from the early days, they held court for royalty and Sir Phillip Sydney the brother of the second countess of Pembroke was so inspired by the atmosphere of the grounds and local woodlands that he wrote his book Arcadia here. Indeed many groups of artists over the years have been associated with Wilton House and a walk around the gardens with its wonderful Palladian Bridge allows the visitor to transport themselves into a more ethereal world.
Perhaps it is the clever design of the eminent architects that have been involved with the house and gardens, or the saintly nature of the old abbey or perhaps something more elemental associated with the woodland and confluence of the rivers, but if you stop and set your senses free you can maybe just get a perception of what inspired others…although you will have to pay for the privilege.
With the loss of the abbey and the expansion of Salisbury, Wilton could not recover its former glory, and it wasn’t until the 9th Earl smuggled into the town two French carpet weavers that Wilton recovered some prosperity by producing unique carpets known as the Wilton weave. The factory area is now called the Guild and is predominantly used as offices, but there is a wonderful café there known as Weavers which serve delicious frittatas and coffee. These have kept us satisfied on our walks about the town and beyond. I did take a photo of one of the owners, Krissy, but I have discovered that portrait photography is not a forte of mine, so I will include a photo of the café instead.
Beyond the carpet factory the influence and patronage of the Herbert Family can be seen throughout the town from the bronze statue of the 13th Earl and Triumphal Arch outside Wilton House to the magnificent Italianate church of St Mary and St Nicholas with its beautiful orthodox interior the likes of which I have not observed before in England.
It all makes Wilton a tremendous place to visit with little gems of independent shops and cafés to stop by amongst its historic features.
There is so much more to tell about this wonderful place. Including tales of ghosts, wizards, at least one more Edith and fine young things, but I guess that might have to be the subject of a different blog.
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