Steeple Ashton buildings [5]

Image: © Michael Dibb Taken: 14 Feb 2023

The Longs Arms, number 44 High Street, was built circa 1700 and extended in the late 19th century with a single-storey addition projecting to the front. Constructed of limestone ashlar under a stone slate roof. Some 19th century internal features and fittings remain. The public house takes its name from the Long family of Rood Ashton who owned much of the village until the mid 20th century. Listed, grade II, with details at: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1252684 The village of Steeple Ashton is a former market town, having been granted a weekly market in 1266. It lies some 3¼ miles east of Trowbridge and some 7 miles southwest of Devizes. The town became wealthy from its cloth industry, but there was a great fire in the early 16th century, and when it came to rebuilding the industry moved to the nearby town of Trowbridge, where the River Biss provided power for fulling mills. The first part of the village name comes from the former church spire, which collapsed in 1670.

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