Founded in 1816 by George Simpson, the Gazette & Herald (originally known as the Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette) came into being to provide a voice for the rural communities of South West England. The idea sparked when Simpson, a local printer, decided that the county of Wiltshire needed a dedicated newspaper to report on agricultural markets, local courts, and community events, rather than relying on papers from London. Over the years, it merged with other local papers to become the publication it is today. Today, the newspaper is owned and operated by Newsquest, one of the largest regional media groups in the UK. Today, the Gazette & Herald is based in Wiltshire, England, and serves the towns of Devizes, Chippenham, and Marlborough. They cover strictly local news, focusing on town council politics, crime reports, and community festivals. Because the area is very rural, they also report heavily on farming news and local grassroots sports, including rugby, cricket, and football matches that national newspapers do not cover. One interesting fact: A unique fact about the Gazette & Herald is its incredible age. Having launched in 1816, the newspaper has been printing for over 200 years. This means it was reporting "breaking news" on historical events like the defeat of Napoleon and the coronation of Queen Victoria long before the invention of the telephone or the internet.