Contractors move in to turn the Grade II* listed building into a new museum.
Work has begun on a £14.8m project to move Wiltshire Museum into the restored, Grade II* listed Devizes Assize Court.
The judicial building is expected to be fully transformed and open to the public in 2030.
Ken Biggs Contractors has begun work on the historic building preparing it for its full conservation and redevelopment, removing lead paint, lime plaster, and ceilings, and equipping the building for the main works to begin early next year.
Plans for the museum include a ‘national-standard’ special exhibition space, a café, dedicated learning facilities, and a flexible event and community space.
The Assize Court was designed by T. H. Wyatt in 1835 and served as a centre of justice until it closed in 1983. After decades of disuse, the building is being brought back into public life by Wiltshire Museum, working together with the Devizes Assize Court Trust, who own the building.
The project received £8.5m of Delivery Phase funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund in December 2025, alongside support from individuals, trusts and foundations. More than £12.5m has been raised so far to finance the project.
Nicola Trowell, programme manager on the project, said: “The start of the enabling works is a monumental – and first truly visible – step in our project to save the Assize Court and transform it into a new home for the Wiltshire Museum”
