𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫?

Delve into the fascinating history, hidden stories, and scenic pathways of Calne with this collection of books. Whether shopping for a lifelong resident, a newcomer, or a history enthusiast, these make ideal stocking fillers.
Explore the collection:

• 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬: Uncover local stories of mystery, discovery, and strange historical tales. https://link.amazon/B01zje5EH

• 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐧𝐞 (𝐀 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲: 𝟏𝟖𝟑𝟔 𝐭𝐨 𝟏𝟖𝟖𝟔): A captivating dive into local civic leadership and borough heritage. https://link.amazon/B09MUZsgJ

• 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐧𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐬: Step out and discover the beautiful scenery and historical routes right on our doorstep. https://link.amazon/B0hApjjlA

• 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐧𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 (𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧): Journey through time to discover how our streets, areas, and landmarks got their names. https://link.amazon/B0cFDMK0t

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥? Pick up copies directly from the Calne Heritage Centre, where every purchase helps support the preservation of our town's history.

#Calne #CalneHeritage #ShopLocal #LocalHistory #Wiltshire #ChristmasGifts

August Mayor's Update: Milestones, Sacred Circles & Community Action

August was another busy and rewarding month representing Calne across the county and within our local community. Here are a few highlights from the month:

Celebrating a 100th Birthday Milestone

On 4 August, I had the absolute privilege of visiting one of our wonderful local residents to help celebrate her 100th birthday! She was treated like royalty all day long, and it was a joy to present her with her official birthday card from His Majesty The King, along with a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

The day featured brilliant live entertainment sung by Nick from Mini Concerts, a delicious BBQ prepared by Anne Marie, and a stunning birthday cake made by Dawn. A huge thank you to all the staff whose hard work and dedicated care made this milestone such a happy and memorable occasion!

Amesbury Mayoral Service at Stonehenge

Also on 4 August, I was honoured to join Deputy Lieutenants, the High Sheriff of Wiltshire, the Chairman of Wiltshire Council, fellow Mayors, Town Councillors, and community leaders for a special service at Stonehenge marking the Mayoral Year of Cllr Laura Knight, Mayor of Amesbury.

The service, led by Frank and Amelia of the Aes Dana Grove Stonehenge Druids, offered a spiritually captivating and inclusive experience, beginning with a procession around the monument before entering the inner circle. Guests participated in the sacred Awen chant and passed a wooden staff while calling out their names, followed by a prayer of reflection from Revd Canon Kelvin Inglis of Amesbury Abbey Church of St Mary and St Melor.

During the service, I had the opportunity to address the congregation and share a few thoughts on community, history, and civic leadership:

"Wiltshire’s history has a depth and clarity that reaches back beyond the foundation of our country. Standing among landscapes such as Stonehenge and Avebury, you feel a sense of continuity that is almost magical, especially for someone like me who grew up in a place without that depth of history.

I came from an industrial town, a mono town, where for many decades you either worked at the steelworks or knew someone who did. My lifetime has only seen the continued decline of that industry and of the town that once thrived on it. Repeated buyouts of the works, along with ever decreasing production, pushed the town into decline, and that is how I left it.

I then found myself in Calne. A smaller town, but also a mono town, once dominated by C and T Harris and known for its bacon. It too suffered when the industry failed, leaving the town and its people in a depressed state. Over the decades it recovered because of the strength and commitment of its community. I have lived there for ten years now, and I have been proud to be embraced by that community and to play my part in its ongoing improvement.

Whether we were born in Wiltshire or arrived here for any number of reasons, I believe we are all fortunate to hold positions of leadership within our communities. We have the opportunity to work on their behalf and to support the aims and aspirations of the wonderful people we represent.

Thank you to Laura for inviting me, and thank you to the Amesbury council team for welcoming us today. Thank you. I am grateful to be here with you all today and to share in this moment."

@calnepastandpresent

A magical day at Stonehenge for the Amesbury Mayor's Celebration. Circling the stones, chanting Awen, children running with Druid Frank, a heartfelt prayer, and a moment to speak about Calne's amazing community. Standing inside the henge itself was something I'll never forget. Thank you to Warminster Town Mayor Councillor Jack Jones for the additional video clip.

♬ som original - Anime

Local Governance & Community Action

During August, I also chaired a meeting with representatives from neighbouring local parishes to discuss the proposed Household Recycling Centre (HRC) closure and the ongoing HRC booking trial.

This collaborative session directly informed an agenda item at our September Full Council meeting, resulting in Calne Town Council formally submitting our collective considerations and concerns to Wiltshire Council on both matters.

Place names of Calne: Hungerford Road

Hungerford Road

Hungerford Road is part of the c. 1960s housing development and is a mix of bungalows and semi-detached properties.

The road is named for the Hungerford family of Studley House (now demolished). Robert Hungerford bought the house at Studley from the Norbornes and was a Guild Steward in 1672[1]. Hs son, Walter (d. 1754), was MP for Calne multiple times, with the last time being 1744. Along with Coleman's Farm, Walter Hungerford held around 59a for agricultural land around Calne, which included what was Newcroft farm. Walter and his wife, Elizabeth Dodson, had no children, but the extended family held Studley House and lands[2]. This eventually went to Henrietta Walker, whos father had taken the name Hungerford at the death of his brother-in-law, Lumley Hungerford Keate, to gain the rights to the property and land which descended in Lumley's will. Henrietta married John Crewe in 1807 and it is to him that the land upon which Hungerford Road is attributed in the 1840s Wiltshire tithes. In 1918, the marguess of Crewe sold portions of the 230a, of which C & T Harris bought Newcroft farm.

In March 1745, Walter Hungerford gave a yearly rent change of £20 from certain messuages and lands to the churchwardens of the parish and guild stewards of the borough to help the sick, wounded, or maimed inhabitants of Calne[3][4]. While the rent charge went uncollected for a time, it was regularly paid from 1792 and the money distributed to the 'sick and maimed poor persons' of the borough of Calne, which generally happened in March or April. It seems that at some point in the 1900s, requests were taken and in 1954, the trustees were considering a request for the provision of dust bins at the Almshouses[5]. In 1978, the Hungerford Charity was combined with others into the Calne Relief in Need charity[6].


References:
[1] Marsh, A., 1903. A HISTORY OF THE BOROUGH AND TOWN OF CALNE. 1st ed. London: HAZELL, WATSON AND VINEY, LTD.
[2] Jackson, J., 1853. Calne. The Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine, XXIV, 166-219.
[3] Calne: Charities for the poor | British History Online. 2019. Calne: Charities for the poor | British History Online. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/wilts/vol17/pp114-116. [Accessed 17 October 2019]. 
[4] Reports from Commissioners, 1835. Charities: Twenty-Ninth Report of Commissioners on Charities in England and Wales. 1st ed. London: The House of Commons.
[5]  Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, Saturday 24 April 1954 [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001671/19540424/102/0004 [Accessed on 17 October 2019]
[6] Calne: Charities for the poor | British History Online. 2019. Calne: Charities for the poor | British History Online. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/wilts/vol17/pp114-116. [Accessed 17 October 2019].

Calne Town Mayor Update: July 2026 - A Look Back at July

July was another busy month across Calne, packed with local events, community milestones, and essential town council work. Here are a few highlights from the past few weeks:

Celebrating Our Community & Local Youth

• Calne Choral Society Summer Concert: Lucy and I had a wonderful evening at St Mary's Church for the Calne Choral Society's summer concert, "An Evening at the Opera". It was fantastic to celebrate their 140th anniversary year with them. The choir, soloists, pianist, and conductor James Green (also a town councillor) put on a brilliant performance, ranging from classical opera choruses like the Anvil Chorus to highlights from Les Misérables and West Side Story. A real credit to our local arts scene and definitely a highlight of the month.

Presenting at the 1st Calne Boys' Brigade & Girls' Association Annual Awards.
Captain Esther Reeves left of photo.

• 1st Calne Boys' Brigade & Girls' Association Annual Awards: I joined Kate Tompkins from the Rotary Club of Chippenham & Calne to hand out certificates, badges, medals, and trophies to a brilliant group of young people.

  • We presented new member badges, 1-year service awards, moving-up badges, and core activity badges across both the Anchors and Juniors sections.

  • Huge congratulations to everyone who picked up Best Attendance, Most Stars of the Week, and Jungle Parc awards, as well as the Anchor and Junior of the Year winners.

  • Special shoutout to team Saturn, who held onto their Team of the Year title for the second year in a row by just 7 points!

  • Chaplain Wayne gave a memorable talk dressed as the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz. My thanks to all the leaders, helpers, parents, Calne Baptist Church, the Free Church, Rotary, and Calne Lions for supporting this group week in, week out.

• Rotary Handover & President's Night: Joined the Rotary Club of Chippenham & Calne to mark their annual handover and thank them for everything they do for our town.

Preparing to draw the winning raffle ticket at the
Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum Annual Show

• Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum Annual Show: I stopped by the annual show and was treated to a tour of this fantastic museum by some of the passionate volunteers, and helped draw the winning tickets for their Grand Draw.

• King’s Award for Voluntary Service: Toured the Wiltshire Scrapstore & Resource Centre to celebrate their King’s Award for Voluntary Service. This is a fantastic achievement for a brilliant local charity.

• Marden Vale End of School Year Service: Joined students and staff at St Mary's to mark the end of the school term at St Mary's Church with fellow Trustees of Calne Town Charity.

Council Updates & Local Improvements

• Green Flag Status: Took a trip up to Castlefield Park to celebrate Green Flag status. Massive thanks to Rob Mercer, our grounds team and Castlefields CARP, who keep our green spaces looking great.

Celebrating 140th Anniversary of Calne Town Hall.
L-R: Noah, Lucy and Ellie, Cllr King, myself, Deputy Town Mayor Cllr Boore,
Mace Bearer Kev O'Daly, Cllr Percy, Cllr Seymour.

• Town Hall 140th Anniversary: Led a small gathering to mark 140 years of our Town Hall, which is still very much at the heart of civic life in Calne.

• Beach Terrace Upgrades: Checked out the new interpretation board and bike maintenance station now installed at Beach Terrace.

• High Street Pedestrian Safety: Met with Wiltshire Council, alongside some fellow councillors, to push for a proper pedestrian crossing on the re-opened High Street so residents can cross safely.

With Town Crier, Mark Wylie

• Full Council: Awarded King Charles III patches to our Town Crier, recognised Calne Fair Trade, and worked through council business including play area transfers, toilet facilities, and local grants.

Calneval

• Extraordinary Full Council Meeting: We held an Extraordinary Full Council meeting following a minute of silence, giving residents a chance to share their thoughts on the cancellation of Calneval. We’re continuing discussions with the organisers and fellow councillors to see how we can best support future community events.

Thanks to all the volunteers, local groups, and council staff who worked hard throughout July. If you have any questions or local issues you'd like to raise, please drop me a message!

New Book: The Mayors of Calne: A History 1836 to 1886

Today marks the release of a new book that follows fifty years of Calne’s civic life, beginning with the first mayor elected in 1836 under the Municipal Corporations Act and ending with the opening of the new Town Hall in 1886. It traces the people who shaped the borough through everyday decisions, public celebrations, moments of crisis, and the steady work of building a modern civic identity.

It includes a full and detailed history of Calne Town Hall, from the long debates that led to its construction to the building of the tower and clock. The book also explores how justice was carried out in the Town Hall, including the work of the magistrates, the courtroom, and the holding cells, showing how law and order were handled in the centre of the town.

The story reaches beyond Calne as well. The borough council wrote to Queen Victoria after the attempts on her life, responded to national events, and supported fundraisers for concerns around the globe, showing how a small market town played its part in wider affairs.

This is the result of six years of research, drawing on newspapers, council minutes, local archives, and conversations with people who care for Calne’s history and its historic buildings. It offers a clear and readable account of how Calne grew from a modest market town into a confident borough, written with care for local detail and a respect for the community’s history.

Available from Amazon via my link

https://link.amazon/B0aRQP3gG