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WOOTTON BASSETT

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Originally appearing in Volume V28, Page 820 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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WOOTTON BASSETT , a See also:

market See also:town in the N. See also:parliamentary See also:division of See also:Wiltshire, See also:England, 83 m. W. of See also:London by the See also:Great Western railway. Pop. (Igor) 2200. It is the junction of the See also:direct railway (1903) between London and the See also:Severn See also:tunnel with the See also:main See also:line of the Great Western See also:system. The town has large See also:cattle markets and an agricultural See also:trade. Wootton Bassett (Wodeton, See also:Wotton) was held in the reign of See also:Edward the See also:Confessor by one Levenod, and after the See also:Norman See also:Conquest was included in the See also:fief of See also:Miles See also:Crispin. About a See also:century later the See also:manor was acquired by the See also:Basset See also:family. The town received its first See also:charter from See also:Henry VI., and returned members to See also:parliament from 1446–1447 until the passing of the Reform See also:Act of 1832. In 1571 See also:Elizabeth granted to the town a market on Tuesday and two fairs each to last two days, at the feasts of St See also:George the See also:Martyr and the Conception of the Virgin. In 1679 the town received a charter from See also:Charles II., and the See also:corporation consisted of a See also:mayor, two aldermen and 12 See also:capital burgesses, until abolished by the Municipal Corporations Act of 1886, under which the See also:property is now vested in seven trustees, one of whom is appointed by the See also:lord of the manor, and there are also two aldermen and four elected members. In 1836 fairs were instituted on the Tuesday before the 6th of See also:April and on the Tuesday before the 11th of See also:October, which are still maintained, and a large cattle market is held on the first Wednesday of every See also:month.

The manufacture of broadcloth was formerly carried on, but is now entirely decayed.

End of Article: WOOTTON BASSETT

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