About the book

Devizes lies in the very heart of Wiltshire. This thriving market town, built on a 12th-century street plan, boasts over 300 listed buildings, including two outstanding Norman churches, ranges of medieval timber-framed cottages, and a wealth of elegant merchants’ houses reflecting its Georgian prosperity. The flight of 29 locks bringing the Kennet and Avon Canal up from the Avon Valley is a spectacular feat of 19th-century engineering.
 

The town is a rewarding place to explore, and Devizes in Focus invites residents and visitors to do just that by taking part in a photographic treasure hunt in search of the subjects of Andy Rose’s atmospheric black-and-white photographs. These include close-ups of architectural details; decorative ironwork; signs, inscriptions, numbers and letters – all within easy walking distance of the Market Cross. Isolated from their contexts, the images will please and tantalise in equal measure as participants hunt down the subjects.​

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The competition might be over but the book remains a charming keepsake of one of Wiltshire’s most appealing market towns. Here is what three of our treasure hunters had to say:

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“My husband and I have lived in Devizes most of our lives (over forty years) and have discovered so many new things by looking with fresh eyes.” – Penny and Matt

“A great challenge and great fun – tired legs though.” – Ann and Bet

“Great fun, even if maddening at times. Interesting to see so many people going around town with your book and acknowledging each other like so many vintage car drivers or members of a secret society.” – Clair

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About the photographer

Andy Rose was born and brought up in Corsham, where his family has been rooted since the 19th century. Photography has been an abiding passion, with a particular interest in travel and documentary. A 2014 trip to the Arctic culminated in an exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London, while a trip to India honed a keen eye for portraiture, as evidenced in his first book, When Poldark Came to Corsham. Andy’s next project, Corsham in Focus, enabled him to focus on form, texture, pattern, tone, light and contrast, elements brought into sharp relief in black-and-white photography. He came across architectural details that he had never noticed before, and resonances with his family’s long association with the town. The book-cum-treasure-hunt caught on, and nearby Devizes – with its architectural treasures – was a natural choice for Andy’s second collection of elusive images.