Work begins to turn derelict courthouse into museum

The £14.5m transformation of a derelict courthouse building into the new home of a county museum has begun.

The Grade II* listed Assize Court in Devizes, Wiltshire, was built in 1835 and has been unused since it closed in the 1980s.

It is expected to reopen in 2030 as the new home of Wiltshire Museum - which is currently based in a smaller building in the town and has a number of collections, including gold items found in burial sites near Stonehenge.

The preliminary works will last for about 12 weeks and prepare the historic building ahead of the main works which are due to start early next year. Assizes for Devizes Programme Manager Nicola Trowell said it was a "monumental" first step.

Wiltshire Museum was granted planning permission by Wiltshire Council to restore the historic court in August 2025.

As well as exhibition space, the new museum site will have a cafe, learning space, multi-use event space and gardens. The current site - which is not large enough to hold all of the museum's collections - is set to become a collections discovery centre.

Devizes Town Mayor Vanessa Tanner said: "Having the Wiltshire Museum in Devizes is such a great opportunity for the people in our town, our county and tourists from all over the world."

"I'm really excited to see the historic Assizes Court brought back to life thanks to the vision and tireless efforts of the Museum team, the National Lottery Fund and all those people who have generously donated their time and money to make it happen," she added.

The initial works involve the removal of lead paint, lime plaster and ceiling, as part of efforts to conserve the listed building.

Trowell said: "The start of the enabling works is a monumental - and first truly visible - step in our project to save the Assize Court and transform it into a new home for the Wiltshire Museum."

The project received £8.5m of funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund in December 2025.

More than £12.5m has been raised so far to finance the project with additional support from individuals, trusts and foundations. Museum director David Dawson previously told the BBC he was confident the gap in funds would be closed by ongoing grant bids.

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