Plan for statue to celebrate brewery shire horses

There are plans to create a statue to commemorate the shire horses that delivered beer from a brewery to local pubs for more than a century.

For 125 years, the horses trotted from the Wadworth Brewery in Devizes, Wiltshire across town to deliver beer to local pubs.

But after the brewery moved site in 2023, its horses - Sam and George - went into retirement in Wales and the local tradition came to an end.

Now Devizes locals Martin Armitage and his daughter Michelle have launched plans to commemorate the animals with a statue.

Martin said: "Just after Christmas, my daughter saw a post on [Facebook page] Devizes Issues and it mentioned how much people missed the horses. We decided a fitting commemoration would be nice."

Martin and Michelle hope to raise money for a bronze sculpture, plinth and background mural to surround the statue, as well as a plaque to explain the significance of the horses to future generations.

The father and daughter duo say they have contacted with Wadworth, whose brewery is now based at Folly Road, and also Backhouse, the property developer behind plans for 102 homes at the former brewery, and both gave their blessing.

They hope the horse statue could sit in a public area of new residential development.

A fundraiser is ongoing to raise money for the project, which aims to use recycled material and potential designs from artist Judy Boyt, who lives in nearby Easterton.

Martin added: "We've put posters in pubs in Devizes and have letters we will send out as well.

"We thought it would be great to have a local artist involved and also to use recycled material from the old brewery if we can."

Martin, who has lived in Devizes for 40 years, stressed the project is in its "early days" but that he and Michelle are keen to get local views as the plan progresses.

Shire horses started working at the Wadworth brewery in 1885, with more than 40 delivering beer at one point. Many were sold during World War Two, but four were brought back in 1974.

Part of the brewery's tradition saw each horse given a pint of beer before being released into a field near Devizes for their "holidays" each year.

Wadworth announced the official retirement of their Shire horses in February 2025 after it became clear their new brewery site at Folly Road would not suit stables.

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