Place Names of Calne: Anchor Road

Ancher Road

Anchor Road is named, most likely, after the inn that was open for business between 1780 and 1842. The Anchor Inn was located close to the Recreation Ground's old caretaker’s cottage, 3 Anchor Road, close to the tennis courts.

Marsh[1] states that:

"Close to the vicarage is the piece of land once called the “Anchor”, where until it was suppressed in the middle of the last century, annually on Easter Monday was held the saturnalia known as the 

“Anchor Revel”, and where, apparently, in 1610 Thomas Gryffin, a shoemaker of the town, “being destitute of a house to dwell in, and having a wife and four poor children”, was allowed by the Quarter Sessions to build a house without regard being paid to the Act of 1589, which required four acres of land to be attached to each. Some years ago Mr. Thomas Harris purchased the land, and, after laying it out as a public recreation ground, gave it to the town."

I have not been able to find any further information about the "Anchor Revel" so far.

Anchor on The Thatched Cottage, Anchor Road.

Moving forward in time to the 1840s, the plot of land across the road from the Anchor Inn, was known as 'Anchor Garden' (where the pavilion is now), owned by the Marquis of Lansdowne and occupied by Honor Little. Further investigation has revealed that the Marquis of Lansdowne held the land as lessee under the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, therefore this was Church of England land[2]. The land that the Anchor resided on (plot 479 for tithe purposes) was owned and occupied by Richard Greenup. It is entirely possible that the pub was named for the Anchor Revel that took place during those times.

This particular street has been known by many names over the years, including Kew Lane (which went on to refer to the southern end of the street for a time[3][4], and Eastmead Street[5].During the time the inn was open the street was called Cow Lane (possibly a corruption of Kew)[1].

 

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References:
[1] Marsh, A., 1903. A HISTORY OF THE BOROUGH AND TOWN OF CALNE. 1st ed. London: HAZELL, WATSON AND VINEY, LTD. 
[2] 'Land at The Anchor'  Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette, Thursday 18 April 1889 [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000360/18890418/065/0007 [Accessed on 1 October 2019]
[3] Chandler, J., 1996. PRINTED MAPS OF WILTSHIRE 1787-1844 (Volume 52). 1st ed. Trowbridge: Wiltshire Record Society. (Robertson map 1792)
[4] Wiltshire XXVII.5 map, published 1886.
[5] Wiltshire XXVII.NW map, published 1925