History of Wilton

Wilton, an ancient capital of Wessex, is a quintessential English market town redolent with history spanning more than 2000 years. The town gave its name to Wiltshire and the famous Wilton Carpets, which are still made here today.

Wilton takes its name from the River Wylye as the peoples who lived alongside it were known in Anglo-Saxon as “Wilsaetes” and the town lies 3 miles west of Salisbury, located at the confluence of the Wylye and Nadder rivers and has a number of independent shops.

In 771 the predecessor of Wilton Abbey was founded in the location of what is now Wilton House. It became a school of learning for the daughters of Saxon nobles. Wilton Abbey continued on until the dissolution of the monasteries, when Henry VIII gave the land associated with the abbey to William Herbert later 1st Earl Pembroke.

With the loss of the abbey and the expansion of Salisbury, Wilton could not recover its former glory, and it wasn’t until the 9th Earl of Pembroke smuggled two French carpet weavers into the town that Wilton recovered some prosperity by producing unique carpets known as the Wilton weave. The Old Factory is now Wilton Village, a collection of local independent shops, cafes and other businesses.

King John Charter: 1204AD

This Charter, written in medieval Latin, reads:

“John, by the grace of God King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, and Count of Anjou. To his Archbishops, Bishops, Abbots, Earls, Barons, Justices, Sheriffs, Reeves, and all his Bailiffs and faithful subjects, Greeting.

We command that our Burgesses of Wilton of the merchant guild, according to our custom, shall have all acquittances [exemptions] and liberties from toll, passage, and all customary dues. And they shall hold them as well and fully, as beautifully and freely, as our citizens of London and Winchester best and most freely hold theirs.

And if anyone should inflict injury or insult upon them because of this, our Justices and Sheriffs shall cause them to have their customs and rights, so that they are not troubled further, upon pain of a ten-pound forfeiture, just as the charters of King Henry [II], our father, and King Henry [I], our great-grandfather, reasonably testify.

Witnesses: * T. [Geoffrey fitzPeter], Earl of Essex

W. [William Longespée], Earl of Salisbury

Warin fitzGerold

Hugh de Neville

Robert de Veteri Ponte [Vipont]

Peter de Stoke

Simon de Pateshull

Given by the hand of Master S. [Simon], Bishop-elect of Chichester, at Oxford, on the 21st day of April, in the 5th year of our reign [1204].”

Richard II Charter: 1391AD

This Charter, written in medieval Latin, reads:

“Richard, by the grace of God King of England and France, and Lord of Ireland. To his Archbishops, Bishops, Abbots, Priors, Dukes, Earls, Barons, Justices, Sheriffs, Reeves, Ministers, and all his Bailiffs and faithful subjects, Greeting.

We have inspected a charter of confirmation of the Lord Edward [III], late King of England, our grandfather, made in these words:

“Edward, by the grace of God King of England… [Scribes here recite Edward III’s previous charter, which in turn inspected Henry III’s 1229 charter, which inspected John’s 1204 charter, all the way back to Henry I!]

…And if anyone should inflict injury or insult upon them because of this, our Justices and Sheriffs shall cause them to have their customs and rights… just as the charters of our ancestors reasonably testify.

Given by our hand at Westminster on the 28th day of October, in the 22nd year of our reign [1348].”

Now we [Richard II], holding the aforesaid gifts, grants, liberties, and acquittances to be valid and welcome, do, for ourselves and our heirs, as far as in us lies, grant and confirm them to our now beloved Burgesses of the said town of Wilton and their successors, just as the aforesaid charters reasonably testify, and as the same Burgesses and their predecessors have reasonably used and enjoyed those liberties and acquittances hitherto.

Witnesses:

William [Courtenay], Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of All England

Robert [de Braybrooke], Bishop of London

John [de Waltham], Bishop of Salisbury, our Treasurer

John [of Gaunt], Duke of Lancaster, our most dear uncle

Edmund [of Langley], Duke of York, our most dear uncle

Thomas [of Woodstock], Duke of Gloucester, our most dear uncle

Richard [Fitzalan], Earl of Arundel

Thomas [de Beauchamp], Earl of Warwick

Henry [Percy], Earl of Northumberland

John [de Montagu], Steward of our Household

… and others.

Given by our hand at Westminster on the 28th day of November, in the 15th year of our reign [1391].”

Henry VI Charter: 1433AD

This Charter, written in medieval Latin, reads:

“Henry, by the grace of God, King of England and France and Lord of Ireland, to all to whom these present letters shall come, greeting.

Know that we, of our special grace and from our certain knowledge and mere motion, have granted and given licence, and by these presents do grant and give licence for us and our heirs, as much as in us lies, to our beloved the Mayor and Burgesses of our town of Wilton in the County of Wiltshire and their successors, that they and their successors may forever have and hold, and may be able to have and hold, one market every week on Wednesday at our said town of Wilton, to be held through the whole day.

And that they may have and hold there two fairs each year, to be held annually: namely, one on the day of St. George the Martyr and for the three days then immediately following, and another on the day of St. Giles the Confessor and for the three days then immediately following, together with all liberties and free customs, profits, and emoluments to such market and fairs pertaining or belonging;

Provided that the said market and fairs be not to the injury of neighbouring markets and fairs.

Wherefore we will and firmly command for us and our heirs, that the aforesaid Mayor and Burgesses and their successors may forever have and hold the aforesaid market and fairs at our predicted town of Wilton in the manner aforesaid, together with all liberties, free customs, profits, and emoluments to such market and fairs pertaining or belonging, so that the market and those fairs be not to the injury of neighbouring markets and fairs, as is aforesaid.

And this without any express mention of the true yearly value of the premises or of any other gifts or grants made to them by us or any of our progenitors in these presents, or any statute, act, or ordinance made or provided to the contrary, or any other thing, cause, or matter whatsoever in any wise notwithstanding.

In witness whereof we have caused these our letters to be made patent.

Witness myself at Westminster on the twenty-fourth day of May in the eleventh year of our reign [1433].”