The paper serves the west Wiltshire towns of Warminster and Westbury as well as the villages of the Wylye Valley, Chitterne, Mere, Chapmanslade, Corsley, and Horningsham.

[1] A Conservative and a loyal member of the Church of England, in 1881 Coates finally launched the Warminster and Westbury Journal and Wilts County Advertiser as a weekly broadsheet, after a substantial investment in new staff and machinery.

[1] In 1884, both newspapers were published weekly and priced at one penny, and the Journal was noted as having a Conservative affiliation, while the Herald was non-aligned.

[4] Due to key staff leaving to join the armed forces, publication was suspended in April 1918 and did not begin again until 15 August 1919.

[1] The issue of the Journal of 4 July 1903 announced a forthcoming one-night visit to Westbury by Buffalo Bill's show "Wild West and Rough Riders of the World".