a market town of England, Wiltshire, stands on the declivity of a rocky eminence on the right bank of the Were, a tributary of the Avon, and here crossed by a stone bridge, 21 miles N.W. of Salisbury. The main street, of which the town principally consists, is winding and irregularly built. The houses generally are old and mean, though some of them are large and handsome. The parish church is a spacious edifice, with a nave, chancel, two side-aisles with chapels attached, and a large western tower and spire. Besides another church, recently erected, there are various dissenting places of worship, several schools, almshouses, and other charities. The woollen manufacture was established here at an early period, and cassimeres, kerseys, and tweeds are still its chief products. The Kennet and Avon Canal passes about 1 mile N. of the town. The poet Crabbe was rector of Trowbridge for eighteen years, and died here in 1832.

Sir Thomas, Admiral, was born in London, but at what precise date does not appear. He was made a lieutenant under Admiral Sir Edward Hughes, in the East Indies, in 1780, a commander and post-captain in 1782, and was shortly afterwards taken prisoner by the French as commander of the Castor frigate of thirty-two guns. They were again recaptured by Lord Howe, before they had reached France, on the 1st of June 1794. Trowbridge subsequently commanded the Culloden, seventy-four guns, at the victory of 14th February 1797, under Earl St Vincent. In 1798, he was despatched with eight ships of the line to support Nelson in the Mediterranean; and was only prevented from taking part in the great sea-fight of the Nile by his ship running aground. This accident "almost broke the heart of the gallant captain," says Brenon, but Nelson, who knew well the temper of his officer, said—"It was Trowbridge who saved the Culloden, when none that I know in the service would have attempted it." The effect of this eulogium passed upon the chief-officer of the Culloden was, that her crew were treated as if they had actually been engaged in the battle. After being employed in various exploits of minor note in the Mediterranean, Trowbridge was, on his return to England in 1801, made captain of the channel fleet under Earl St Vincent; and in 1804 he was made an admiral. In 1805, he was sent to the East Indies in command of the Blenheim, a ninety gun ship, reduced to seventy-four guns, with a convoy of ten merchant vessels. The admiral's ship ran aground in 1806 in the Straits of Malacca, and after a temporary repair he set out for the Cape of Good Hope. The Blenheim was perceived—separated from her convoy in a violent gale—off the island of Madagascar, on the 1st of February 1807, exhibiting signals of distress. As no assistance could be rendered to the foundering ship, she was seen plunging heavily till dusk, after which she was never heard of more.