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The administrative centre of the county. County Hall's Georgian style facade creates an impressive building. Situated in Bythesea Road it was erected in 1940. The Town Hall and Market House
are also of interest, both is mid-Victorian and are both built in continental styles.
There are no remains of the castle, which was besieged by Stephen in 1139. Only the line of Fore Street follows its rampart and ditch. There was little expansion of the Saxon settlement here
until Flemish weavers came in the reign of Edward III. By the 14th century it had become the countries largest centre of weaving. Later profits from the trade financed the building of fine Georgian houses. These can be seen in
Fore Street, Roundstone Street and The Parade.
The introduction of power looms brought redundancy to the majority of the cloth workers, who rioted and burnt down factories in the town and local area. The person who was alleged to have been
the leader, Thomas Helliker, was executed in 1803 on his nineteenth birthday. He is buried in the churchyard. The cloth trade still has a presence in the town though much reduced and several 19th century mill buildings can
still be seen. The 18th century lock-up still exists.
Matthew Hutton, who was rector of Trowbridge between 1726 and 1730, became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1757. A later rector, George Crabbe, the poet and naturalist, held the position for the
last 18 years of his life to 1832. Sir Isaac Pitman, born here in 1813 was educated in the town's grammar school.
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