The Blue Plaque Trail: Westbury, Wiltshire

There are some hidden gems here!

The Little House, 20 Alfred Street, Westbury. Formerly it was a tan yard and then became a malt house. Another hidden gem! Image: Roland’s Travels

The town of Westbury in Wiltshire is often referred to because of the White Horse that is carved into the escarpment that overshadows the southern side of the town. Westbury is passed through on the A350 that reaches Poole on the south coast. It’s a busy route, and those passing through might get the impression that there isn’t much to Westbury and that it is rather downtrodden. 

Back in the year 878 AD, King Alfred fought the Vikings at Edington, a small village a few miles to the east of Westbury. Were it not for Alfred’s victory, we might all be speaking Danish today! In recent years, Westbury has seen many new homes built, and although the population has increased, it has done little to support the local shops. 

Sadly the High Street was developed between 1962-1966, and it certainly has that 1960s unattractive look. Those driving through Westbury might glimpse down the High Street as they go around the mini-roundabout at its end. First impressions go a long way! To carry on driving and ignore the car park sign could well be their decision. It’s a shame as once you move into the central area of Westbury, it retains a village feel and has some really interesting buildings.

The town has ten buildings with blue plaques showing their historical value. There is a Blue Plaque Town Trail which also gives details of other interesting buildings along the way. You can download a pdf copy of the trail here. It’s well worth reading, and please explore the trail if you are ever in the area.

I had a walk around the trail, and with my DJI Pocket Osmo 2, I made a video of my tour. You can watch the video below. 

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