42 



Devizes. 



When then we find " Ad Divisas " as the name of a place, grammar 

 tells us that it must be a noun ; and therefore, must be the Mediaeval 

 word, used in that particular sense. 



2. The next point was, why was such a name as "at (he boundaries" 

 given to the Castle built at this spot about 1120? This was never 

 on the frontier of the Shire. So long as Wiltshire has been Wilt- 

 shire, this has been, as it is now, the very heart of the county. 

 There must therefore be something peculiar in the locality which 

 had not been observed. On procuring a tracing of the map of 

 Devizes, marking exactly its limits and those of the parishes adjoin- 

 ing, the propriety of the old name seemed self-evident. But since, 



" The mind 

 Of him who hears is loth to acquiesce, 

 And fix its faith, unless the instance brought 

 Be palpable ; " 



please to look at the "instance" on the map before you. 



(The map produced, showed three parishes, Rowde, coloured 

 blue, Cannings red, and Potterne white). The three boundary or 

 dividing lines between these parishes, all to this very day run to- 

 wards, and in ancient times met at, one point (marked by a black 

 spot in the centre). At that point Bishop Roger enclosed a park 

 and built a castle to which he gave the name of Ad Divisas. 



Being purely Mediasval, the name must not be looked for in 

 Domesday Book. 



Churches. 



The Churches of Devizes are well worth inspection ; but we will 

 not now go into any detailed description of them : because such 

 details are not very intelligible or interesting unless you are on the 

 spot to follow them ; and I see by the programme that such remarks 

 will be made when you are there. 



St. John's has been generally understood to have been built by 

 the builder of the Castle, Bishop Roger, as a sort of Free Chapel 

 for the special use of the people belonging to the Castle inside or 

 out. When the gates were shut and could not be opened, there 

 was a chapel for their use within the Castle walls. St. John's is a 

 very fine old church and has some peculiarities. Of the four 



