John Anstie, Devizes

The building that this doorway enters was erected in 1785 by John Anstie for the manufacture of woollen cloth. It was one of the first cloth factories in the West of England

The tympanum sculpture {shown} commemorates this and illustrates some of the processes, machines and materials involved.

Working from left to right over the arch are;
A Shepherd, Sheep, Shears, Anstie's Coat of Arms, On the far right is a Sheepdog

Under the Coat of Arms is A Wiltshire Horned Sheep Skull
Under this is Anstie's House Portico
In the left hand corner is an 18th Century Gentleman
Above him to the right is A Carding Engine
To the right af the A are Fulling Stocks
Bottom right is an 18th Century Lady
To the left of 17 is A spinning Jenny
In the middle is a conjectural portrait of John Anstie
To the right of this is a Weaving Loom

Going from left to right along the bottom
Wool Fleece, Comb, Woad Plant, Dyeing, Cloth on Tenterhooks
In the middle are Teasels, then more Cloth on Tenterhooks
Burling Irons, Cloth Shears, Woven Cloth