Trowbridge
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Trowbridge is the county town of Wiltshire, England. It is situated on the River Biss in the west of the county. The city of Bath lies about ten miles to the north-west. Well known locally for its tortuous and complicated system of roads, Trowbridge was originally dominated by the wool trade; the last mill closed in 1982.In the churchyard of St James one can see the memorial tombstone of Thomas Helliker. The name of the town comes from a root meaning 'Tree Bridge', referring to the first bridge over the river Biss. The Kennet and Avon canal runs to the north of the town. The main street is Fore street, which has a variety of shops, and there are also the Shires and Castle Place shopping centres. There is also a very nice town park (where the tourist information kiosk can be found). Trowbridge was the birthplace of sir Isaac Pitman, developer of the Pitman system of shorthand writing. There is much architectural interest in Trowbridge, including many of the old buildings associated with the textile industry, and the Newtown conservation area, a protected zone of mostly Victorian houses. The style of life in Trowbridge is relatively chilled-out and easy going. Neighbouring towns include Devizes, Bradford-on-Avon, and Westbury, Wiltshire.