Perhaps the most famous local legend is that of the Moonrakers, which is reputed to have taken place at the Crammer (Devizes town’s pond).
The story goes that a group of Wiltshire smugglers heard the Excise Men approaching the town, therefore they had to quickly conceal the contraband brandy they were carrying by rolling the barrels into the Crammer. Once the Excise Men had passed, the smugglers needed to recover the barrels using a rake. The Excise Men were suspicious and therefore came back to take a second look. Catching the men with rakes they demanded to know what they were doing. Not being stupid, one pointed to the reflection of the moon in the pond’s surface and said that they were trying to rake out the cheese from the water.
The Excise Men left, laughing at how stupid Devizes people can be. However it was the smugglers who had the loudest laugh as their quick thinking had stopped them being caught.
To this day, Wiltshire people are known as ‘Moonrakers’.