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New Park Road, DEVIZES, SN10 1ED

Located between Commercial Road on the left and New Park Road on the right. All departments to the left, except for podiatry and chiropody to the right. There is no Minor Injury Unit on this site.

At a bend in New Park Road.

Number 1 Park Villas is a fine house in New Park Road. The market town of Devizes developed around its 11th century castle. It gained a charter in 1141 and holds a weekly market in the large and picturesque Market Place. In the 16th century the town became known for its textiles and in the early 18th century held the largest corn market in the West Country. Devizes has about 500 listed buildings - a very large number for a small town.

From New Park Street. A Devizes Medieval Trail plaque states that this was the street leading to the New Park, or deer enclosure, part of the castle lands, where stag and game were hunted by royalty and their guests. Hunting was an aristocratic pastime. Poachers were imprisoned in chains in the castle dungeons.

Devizes Community Hospital is now closed and silent. The doors are shut but the signs of neglect are starting to appear. With plans to redevelop the site for 58 residential homes, it will need some attention soon.

Above the doorway is the "Sculpture for Devizes" Image

Devizes Community Hospital grew over a number of years until its closure in 2022. The old site is now disused and on the market for around £1.75 million and plans are being submitted for a residential area. Some of the old hospital buildings are more functional but a few are of a more characterful age. Discussions around demolition or renovation are still proving inconclusive as yet.

Devizes Community Hospital grew from rather smaller beginnings in the late nineteenth century. This tablet in one of the original buildings mark the fiftieth year of Queen Victoria's reign (opposite is Victoria Road, incidentally). Although the site expanded and more buildings were added over time, the whole site is now closed and the doctors moved to the new £11 million facilities in the southeast of town. It seems the old hospital will be redeveloped into housing, but it is to be decided if this original will survive.

Devizes Community Hospital closed in 2022 to move to a new suite of buildings elsewhere but some cage trolleys are left sprawling, along with a few sets of crutches.

A George V version by W. T. Allen. See Image] for a view down the road, past the old hospital and towards the church.