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Substantial evidence has come to light of Romano-British occupation
at Cricklade. The Saxons however, created the basic road layout
of the present town by raising an earthen  rampart
around their settlement and building a timber wall in the time of
King Alfred when the borough was part of a line of strongholds to
defend the north of Wessex against the Danes. Later, around the
early 11th century, the timber was replaced by masonry walls.
Saxon Fortifications Although there is little extant Saxon work
to be seen, remains of the rectangular ramparts can still be traced.
The best place to view them is the hump on North Wall, and at the
opposite corner - near Waylands off the High Street - the rectangular
shape of the foundations can clearly be detected.
St Sampson’s Church St Sampson is an ancient Celtic dedication
and there is evidence of Saxon work in the present church, although
the nave is predominantly 13th century. The church tower, ‘the
glory of north Wiltshire’, was rebuilt during the late 15th
and early 16th centuries by the Hungerford family of Down Ampney
who once held the patronage of the church and several local manors.
The interior of the tower lantern is decorated with carved bosses
including several Hungerford coats of arms and other interesting
insignia. The mechanism of the former belfry clock , made in 1658
and still in working order, is in the south aisle. A noteworthy
tomb is that of Robert Jenner who paid for the school adjacent to
the church yard.
The church was damaged by fire in 1823 but it was not until 1864
that it was subjected to Victorian improvements. While restorations
were in progress services were held in the newly built Town Hall
(now Council Offices, library and surgery) on High Street. Three
galleries were removed from the nave as were random shaped oak pews,
some with upper floors and heated by stoves, the smoke from which
made it necessary to leave the  church
doors open. A man was employed to drive out stray animals. Parts
of the roof were remodelled and most of the south transept and south
aisle walls were rebuilt. A carved oak screen which enclosed the
north aisle was removed.
St Mary’s Church This medieval church is, unusually for England,
dedicated to the Catholic faith, the building having become surplus
to Church of England needs in 1981. It is partly Norman, but was
much renovated in the 1860s. An external staircase and a gallery
in the nave were both demolished as were the old oak pews, although
thankfully the fine Jacobean pulpit was retained.
Jenner Hall Previously known as the Parish Hall, it backs on to
St Sampson’s churchyard and was originally built as a school
in 1652 by Robert Jenner, a City of London goldsmith and MP for
Cricklade. It later became the parish workhouse before being used
as a school again until as recently as 1960.
Old Town Hall This Georgian building has been returned to local
government use and is known as ‘Ockwells’ with its conversion
by North Wiltshire District Council into offices for the Town Council
as well as the library and surgery. It was the location of the magistrate’s
court until 1933 when it was made into Ockwell’s glove factory,
then the largest employer in the  town.
There is a statue of Ceres, Greek goddess of the harvest, perched
on the edge of the roof, brought from the Great Exhibition of 1851.
New Town Hall This was built in 1933, in a style reminiscent of
the architect Voysey and houses a replica of a 16th century Italian
painting. The original was presented to the hall in 1945 and recognised
only 50 years later as a valuable old master of the school of Carvaggio
and sold at Sotheby’s in 1993 for £68,000.
Cricklade Museum The Museum is housed in a former chapel erected
in 1852 by the ‘Strict Baptists’. Like three other former
Victorian chapels in the town, it has since changed use owing to
dwindling congregations. During the Second World War, the building
was used as a canteen and frequented by airmen from RAF Blakehill
Farm and RAF Down Ampney. From 1960 to 1984 the building was again
a place of worship, this time for the Catholics. The building was
purchased by Cricklade Town Council in 1985 and leased to Cricklade
Historical Society for use as a museum. The Museum houses a collection
of items relating to Cricklade from Roman to modern times including
a large number of maps and photographs, other items range from woolly
mammoth tusks to machinery used in the Ockwells Glove Factory. Open
Wed 2-4pm (1 April to 30 Sept), Sat 10am-12 noon with extended opening
during July and August (see Chronicle for details).
The Manor House Said to be on the site of a medieval hermitage,
the main building was the largest house in the town. Known early
in the 19th century as ‘The Hermitage’, it was later
extended. It is now home to Prior Park Preparatory School.
United Church The Congregationalists gained a licence from the Bishop
of Salisbury, as was required in those days, to hold a church in
Cricklade in 1772 and first met in a cottage on the High Street.
They built their new church on Calcutt Street in 1799 and built
the church presently visible from the road in 1878 over the graveyard.
This was common practice among non-conformist congregations who
often could not afford to buy more land or whose efforts to do so
were made difficult by Anglican landowners. The old building now
houses the kitchen and schoolroom. In 1969 the Methodists, who had
occupied a chapel across the road, began to share the building (in
1972 the Congregational Church became part of the United Reform
Church).
Jubilee Clock The clock near the Vale Hotel on High Street was erected
by public subscriptions in 1898 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s
Diamond Jubilee in the preceding year.
Priory of St. John the Baptist By 1231, the Priory of St. John the
Baptist near the Town Bridge was a hospice for poor travellers.
The outline of its original east window can still be seen from the
road. The Priory did not survive the dissolution of the monasteries
and has been in private ownership since 1550, a Georgian facade
having been added.
Thames Hall Built in 1870 as a Wesleyan Chapel it ceased to be used
as a place of worship when the congregation amalgamated with the
Primitive Methodists, who worshipped in Calcutt Street. It became
known as the Priory Methodist Hall and was used, amongst other things,
as an overspill classroom for the ‘bottom’ School on
the other side of the River. In 1964, the property was brought by
the Trustees of Cricklade Recreation Club to use for youth activities
following the demolition of their hall next to the Town Hall (now
replaced by the Annexe). In 2007, the Thames Hall was gifted to
Cricklade Town Council by the Trustees and is still mainly used
by the local Scout and Guide Groups.
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