Divisions, Towns, county is divided into 25 hundreds, which are situated as follows :— Alderbury, south-east ; Amesbury, east ; Bradford, west ; Branch and Dole, central; Caine, central; Cawden and Cadworth, south ; Chalk, south; Chippenham, north-west; Damerharn North, north west, with Damerham South, south-west ; Downton, south and south west ; Dunworth, south-west; Elstub and Everley, east and central ; Frustfield, south-east; Heyteabury, south-west and central; High worth, Cricklade, and Staple, north; Kbagsbridge, north-east rand central; Kinwardstone, east; Malmesbury, north ; Melkaham, west and central; Mere, south-west; Potterne and Cannings, central ; Ramsbury, north-east ; Selkley, oast and central ; Swanborough, central; Underditch, south-east and central; Warminster, west; West bury, west; Whorwelsdown, west.
The city of Salisbury is included in Underditch hundred, the borough of Devizes in Potterne and Cannings hundred, and the borough of Marlborough in Selkley hundred.
Wiltshire contains the county town and city of New Sarum, or SALISBURY; the parliamentary boroughs of CALNE, CHIPYENHAM, CRICKLADE, DEVIZES, MALHE,BIIRy, MARLBOROUGH, Wasrnunv, and WILTON; the disfranchised boroughs of GREAT DEDWYN, DowNTON, Heyteebury, Hindon, Lndgerehall, Old Sarum, and Wootton-Basset; and tho market-towns of AMESBURY, BRADFORD, CORSHAM, D1011WORTD, East or Market Lavington, Mesesneat, MERE, SWINDON, TROWBRIDGE, and WARMINSTER. The places printed in small capitals are described in separate articles. Of the rest we subjoin an account, the population given being that of 1851 Heytesliury, population 1210, on the left bank of the Wily, about 17 miles N.W. by W. from Salisbury, had for its Saxon name Hag tredeabiryg, softened in Domesday into Haaeberie. The church is a large cruciform edifice, with a square tower at the intersection of the nave and transept. It was anciently collegiate. The Independents have a chapel, and there is a National school. The manufacture of woollen-cloth employs a few of the inhabitants.
Minden, population 710, about 15 miles W. by N. from Salisbury, is a small market-town and decayed borough. The church or chapel (for East Knoyle Is the mother church) is a plain building ; it was founded in the 16th century ; in 1836 it was repaired and enlarged. The Primitive Methodists and Iudependents have places of worship, and there aro National schools. The market in on Thursday; fairs are held on May 27th and October 29th for horses, cattle, sheep, and poultry.
Ludyershall, colloquially termed Lurshall, population 580, about 17 miles N.N.E. from Salisbury, close to .the Hampshire border, is called Litlegarsele in Domesday. There are some remains of a castle erected soon after the Norman Conquest. The church is of irregular form, with nave, chancel, and two transepts of very unequal dimen sions. The Primitive Methodists and Baptists have places of worship, and there is a Free school. A mutilated atone cross distinguishes what was formerly the market-place. There is a considerable yearly fair.
Old Sarum, situated about a mile and a half N. from Salisbury, is generally regarded as the Sorbiodunum of the Romans. Its name, derived from the Celtic words sorbio, 'dry,' and ' dun," a city or fortress,' leads to the conclusion that it was a British post. The number of Roman roads which met at Old Sarum, which are noticed at the end of this article, and the mention of the place iu the Itinerary of Antoninus, show that it was occupied by the Romans, but the remains present little resemblance to the usual form of their posts. In the Saxon times, Sarum, under the somewhat altered name of Searobyrig, Serasbyria, and Sarisberia, is frequently noticed by histo rians. Kenric, son of Cerdic, defeated the Britons in this neighbour hood, A.D. 552; and in 1003 the place was taken and burned by Sweyn, king of Denmark. Under the Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-Norman princes, councils eccleaisetical and civil were held here, and the town became the seat of • bishopric. There was a castle or fortress, which is mentioned as early as the time of Alfred, and which may be regarded as the citadel ; and the city was defended by a wall, within the inclo sure of which the cathedral stood. Early iu the 13th century the oppression of the castellans, or captains of the castle, and their disputes with the bishops and clergy, led to the removal of the cathedral to its present site. Many or most of the citizens also removed, and the rise of New Sarum [Sasisnunriled to the decay of the older place, so that in the time of Leland there was not one inhabited house in it. It returned members to Parliament in 23 Edward 1., and again in 31 FAwardfrom which period it continued to return them until it was disfranchised by the Reform Act. It was com monly referred to as the most striking instance of a rotten borough, continuing to return members when It had neither house nor inhabitant. It contained one house with four inhabitants in 1851.