The quaint little market town that was the very first capital of England

You may not have heard of Malmesbury in Wiltshire but it has been around for a very long time.  Its origins date back to the middle of the sixth century, after the Saxons wrested final control over this part of the country from the Britons.

Malmesbury is the oldest borough in England, with a charter given by Alfred the Great around 880.

But Malmsebury’s claim to being the first capital of England, before London and even before Winchester, rests on its special relationship with King Athelstan. 

Ian Chapman-Curry of the Almost History Podcast said: “I had never even heard of Malmsebury, let alone of its central position in English history.

“I knew London had not always been England’s capital city. I have visited Winchester and seen the towering statue of Alfred the Great and knew of its former primacy.

“Some historians record that Athelstan made Malmsebury his capital in 925 AD. The date is important, because Athelstan would become the king of a unified England from 927 AD. If Malmsebury was his capital, then surely Malmsebury was capital of this new kingdom and therefore England’s first capital?

“However others claim that although Athelstan bestowed great privileges on the town, he had not gone so far as to remove the capital from Winchester. Winchester still retained some of the vital bureaucratic functions, buildings and offices of state.

“So who is right? As ever with early English history, there is a decent argument for either interpretation. The notion of a single, fixed capital city had not yet really emerged.”

What is definitely true though is that this pretty Cotswold town is worth a visit especially for its historic Abbey. 

The building is the third abbey to stand on this site. The first was St Aldhelm’s earliest church, before he oversaw the construction of a larger, stone complex of churches located where the current graveyard lies. The present Abbey dates from 1180, and was added to in the following 200 years with a great spire that was the tallest building in England at the time. But in the late 15th century – a generation before Henry VIII’s cull of the monasteries – the great spire fell, followed by the tower 100 years later. Only the nave of this once huge abbey remains.

A visitor to Malmesbury Abbey will see the tomb of King Athelstan, a 15th Century illuminated Bible, the crest of Henry VII, a breathtaking Norman porch which illustrates the Christian salvation history, and the poetic gravestone of Hannah Twynnoy, the first person to be killed by a tiger in Britain, in 1703.

Malmesbury natives are sometimes nicknamed Jackdaws, originating from the avian colony of these that inhabit the Abbey walls and roof.

Every August, the town hosts an annual carnival which helps raise money for the community through events and stalls, including once hosting the world’s largest pillow fight.