184 The Rise and Fall of Steeple Ashton as a Market Tovm. 



some of it was burned ; before which time it was a market town 

 but out of the ashes of this sprang up a market at Lavington, 

 which flourisheth still." No doubt the lack of water with which 

 to drive machinery, a lack which was not felt in the old hand-loom 

 days, hastened the decay of the cloth industry, which gravitated to 

 Trowbridge and Bradford. A certain amount of trade, however, 

 lingered into the seventeenth century. Among the "Wiltshire 

 Tradesmen's Tokens three issued at Steeple Ashton — all farthings 

 — are known to exist. On two of these the obverse contains the 

 legend " A. A. of Melksham," and in the centre the Mercers' 

 Arms, and on the reverse " I. A. of Steeple Ashton," and in the 

 field of one of them the date 1665. The other is dated three 

 years later. The initials represent the names of Ambrose Awdry 

 and Joseph Awdry. The third token has on the obverse the 

 name " Rob. Jeffreyes " and in the field a Church, and on the reverse 

 " Steple Ashton " and in the centre the initials " R.M.I." 



A brave attempt to revive the market was made on the 13th of 

 December, 1756, but it was doomed to failure, though the promoters 

 announced that it was " to be continued for ever for all sorts of corn, 

 grain, cattle, meat, fowls, and all sorts of provisions and marketable 

 wares." Undeterred by previous want of success a second attempt 

 was made some ten years later, but it was all to no purpose, though 

 the notices of the revival of the market cited the proclamation of 

 Geo. III. of the 10th of September, 1766, charging and commanding 

 all justices and magistrates to cause the Acts of 6 Edw. VI. and of 

 the 5th of Eliz. against forestalers and ingrossers of corn, etc., to 

 be speedily and effectually put in execution; and though they 

 further explained that " by 6 of Edw. VI. no person without licence 

 according to the statute shall buy any corn or grain out of open 

 market to sell again on forfeiture of five pounds," and that " the 

 buying, bargaining or contracting for corn before the same shall be 

 brought into market is forestaling and liable to punishment." But 

 neither the threat of these pains and penalties nor the inducement 

 that they offered that the roads to Steeple Ashton were repaired, 

 produced any lasting effect upon buyers and sellers, and the market 

 fell into desuetude. 



