MALMSBURY, a town of Wiltshire in England,
93 miles from London. It stands on a hill, with six
bridges over the river Avon at the bottom; with which
and a brook that runs into it, it is in a manner en-
compassed. It formerly had walls and a castle, which
were pulled down to enlarge the abbey, which was the
biggest in Wiltshire, and its abbots sat in parliament.
The Saxon king Athelstan granted the town large
immunities, and was buried under the high altar of
the church, and his monument still remains in the nave
of it. The memory of Aldhelm, its first abbot, who
was the king's great favourite, and whom he got to
be canonized after his death, is still kept up by a
meadow near this town, called Aldhelm's Mead. By
charter of King William III. the corporation consists
of an alderman, who is chosen yearly, 12 capital bur-
gesses, and 4 assistants, landholders and commoners.
Here is an alms-house for 4 men and 4 women, and
near the bridge an hospital for lepers, where it is sup-
posed there was formerly a nunnery. This town
drives a considerable trade in the woollen manufactory;
1722
Malmesbury has a market on Saturday, and three fairs. It has sent members to parliament ever since the 26th of Edward I.
William of MALMESBURY. See WILLIAM.