Calne Curiosities: Exploring Calne's History and How We Say the Name

Arms of the Guild and Stewards of Calne,
from The Visitation of Wiltshire 1623.

Having lived in Wiltshire for close to two decades, I've come to appreciate the often-surprising ways local place names are pronounced. Let's explore a fundamental part of Calne's fabric: the town's name itself – its ancient roots, its historical spellings, and the ongoing discussion around how we say it today.

Our earliest written record of Calne dates to the 10th century, specifically the Will of the Saxon King Edred (c. 923 – 955), grandson of Alfred the Great. In this document from 955, King Edred bequeathed the estates of Downton, Damerham, and Calne to the Old Minster at Winchester, indicating Calne's royal ownership and significance even in those early times.

Saxon King Edred

Yet, the name "Calne" is even older than this first written mention. Linguistic analysis suggests a pre-English origin, with A Dictionary of British Place Names confirming its antiquity. One leading theory, supported by the linguist Ekblom (1917), points to a Celtic origin, potentially linking it to "Colne" in Lancashire, a name that itself was once recorded as "Calna" – a spelling also used for Calne in 1091. The prevailing explanation connects "Calne" to the river of the same name, derived from the Celtic "Col-aun," meaning "meeting or current of waters," likely referring to the confluence of streams feeding the River Marden and Abberd Brook in the town's heart. Intriguingly, the Norman scribes of the Domesday Book in 1086 referred to the town as "Cauna" or "Caune," further solidifying the early establishment of the name.

The Evolving Written Form of Calne

Like many place names (and indeed, surnames), the spelling of Calne has been far from static over the centuries. Within Wiltshire alone, we see examples like Cherhill (once "Ciriel" and "Chirieli") and Yatesbury (formerly "Getesbir") undergoing significant transformations in their written forms. Even places like East and West Kennett have seen a return to older spellings.

Drawing upon The Place Names of Wiltshire by Gover, Mawer, and Stenton, we can trace at least ten documented variations in the spelling of Calne since its first written appearance. It's crucial to remember that this record only captures spellings that were written down, survived the passage of time, and have since been discovered; the spoken variations may have been even more numerous.

Here is a timeline of the documented spellings of Calne:

Variant	Earliest Date	Source
Calne	955	Cartularium Saxonicum, ed. W. de Gray Birch
æt Cálne	978	Anglo Saxon Chronicle
et Calnæ	997	Codex Diplomaticus Aevi Saxonici, ed. J. M. Kemble
Cauna, Caune	1086	Domesday Book
Calna	1091	Vetus registrum Sarisberiense alias dictum Registrum S. Osmundi, Episcopi
Kalne	1158	Report on Manuscripts in Various Collections (Historical Manuscripts Commission)
Calne	1198	Placitorum Abbrevatio (Record Commission)
Kaune	1236	Calendar of Close Rolls Preserved in the Public Record Office
Calle al. Calne	1460	Calendar of Patent Rolls (Public Record Office)
Cawne	1556	Feet of Fines, 1273-1760 (unpublished) in the Public Record Office
Cawen	t. Eliz (1558-1603)	Calendar of Proceedings in Chancery in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, ed. J. Bayley
Caln	1588	Wiltshire Notes and Queries
Cawlne	1588	MS Collections of John Sadler in Wiltshire Museum at Devizes
Cane	1672	Admission to the College of St John the Evangelist
Caln and Calne	1753	Britannia Depicta road atlas

This historical overview reveals a fascinating trend: while the spelling of Calne has indeed fluctuated, there's a strong tendency to revert to the "Calne" form. Considering its over 1000 years of written history, the core spelling has shown remarkable resilience. The 16th century stands out with a cluster of variations like "Cawne," "Cawen," "Caln," and "Cawlne," even appearing concurrently. The subsequent standardization of English spelling likely cemented "Calne" as the dominant written form, although it's intriguing to note that our Town Twin in Pennsylvania still uses the "Caln" variant, perhaps echoing one of these earlier spellings.

An Ancient Settlement and a Site of Significance

The long history suggested by the name's origins and spelling is further confirmed by archaeological evidence. Excavations in Castlefields in 2010 unearthed artifacts from the Iron Age, Roman, Saxon, and Medieval periods, firmly establishing Calne as a very ancient settlement. Its historical significance is also highlighted by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle's record of a crucial meeting of the Witan, the King's chief advisors, held in Calne in 978.

From Wool to Bacon: Shaping Calne's Identity

'Two Pigs' sculpture in Calne: A tribute to the town's historic bacon industry.

Over the centuries, Calne's fortunes have been shaped by various industries and events. From the 12th to the 19th centuries, the woollen industry brought considerable prosperity, leaving its mark on many of the town's older buildings around The Green. However, the decline of this industry in the early 1800s brought hardship. An unexpected resurgence came with the rise of the Harris family and their revolutionary bacon curing methods, established by the purchase of weak Irish pigs that would not survive their journey to London from their overnight stop Black Dog Hill. The Harris business grew to dominate Calne both economically and physically in the 20th century, unfortunately leading to the demolition of some historic buildings for factory expansion. Other notable industries included the Maundrell Foundry, which supported the Harris operations.

Notable Figures and Lasting Legacies

Calne has also been associated with prominent figures throughout history. The 5th Marquess of Lansdowne of nearby Bowood House played a significant role in national politics, while middle-distance runner Walter Goodall George, also from Calne, held the world mile record for over three decades. The town was also the rectory of Edmund Rich, who later became Archbishop of Canterbury and was canonized. Briefly, John Pym, a key figure leading up to the English Civil War, served as the town's MP.

Nearby Bowood House was a hub of scientific discovery, with Jan Ingenhousz, polymath and discoverer of photosynthesis a friend and guest, along with Joseph Priestley's identification of oxygen taking place at the Grade I listed Georgian country house surrounded by the landscaped parkland designed by Capability Brown . Priestley also conducted experiments at the Old Vicarage in Mill Street, Calne, where he lived for a time. The impressive St. Mary's Church stands as a legacy of the medieval wealth generated by the woollen trade.

Connecting with the World: Canal, Railway, and Regeneration

Calne's connections to the wider world evolved with the extension of the Wilts and Berks Canal in 1802 and the arrival of the Calne Branch Railway in 1863. While the canal eventually closed, the railway too fell victim to the Beeching cuts in 1965. More recently, the closure of C&T Harris in 1982 and the subsequent demolition of their factory buildings have paved the way for the regeneration of the town, particularly along the River Marden and Beach Terrace.

The Ongoing Question of Pronunciation

Given this rich and evolving history, and as the varying historical spellings subtly suggest, the pronunciation of Calne remains a point of local interest. Research into written sources reveals several possibilities:

• Canon Jackson, in his 1888 history, noted the contemporary pronunciation as "Calne (Carn)".
• The Pronunciation of 10,000 Proper Names (1909) suggested "kôn," which corresponds with a pronunciation of ‘Kawn’.
• The Place-Names of Wiltshire (1939) recorded the local pronunciation phonetically as "Kɑːn, vulgo (commonly known as) Kan," aligning with 'Kahn'.

My own experience living here suggests the most common pronunciations are "Karn" and "Caln", with the emphasis on the ‘l’, with "Calen" being less frequent in the UK but used by our friends in Caln Township. It's fascinating to observe how attached people are to their preferred pronunciation, often citing long family histories in the area.

Whatever your perspective, it can be seen that from its royal connections in Saxon times and its significance as a meeting place of the Witan, through the prosperity of the wool trade and the transformative era of the Harris bacon industry, Calne has continually adapted and evolved.
The very name of the town, with its ancient Celtic roots and its varied spellings across centuries, serves as a tangible link to this enduring past.

Today, as residents and newcomers alike navigate the subtle nuances of its pronunciation, they become part of this ongoing story. Calne's identity is not fixed but rather a tapestry woven from its ancient heritage, its periods of industry and innovation, and the collective memory of its people – a town that respects its deep roots while embracing the present.

In the end, perhaps the most important aspect is mutual understanding. While we might all have our preferred way of saying "Calne," the fact that we recognize the town being referred to speaks to the dynamic and accommodating nature of language and of the wonderful people that live in this historic town.

 

Place names of Calne: DeFroscia Close

DeFroscia Close is a private Hills Homes development built c. 2019 and managed by DeFroscia Close Management Company Ltd.

The name was suggested by Cllr Robert Merrick in 2018 while Deputy Mayor, and is to recognise the importance that Tom DeFroscia had in forging the connection between Calne and Caln, Pennsylvania. Tom, who sadly passed on February 13 2017, dedicated his life to Caln and its history and along with being an integral part of the Calne-Caln Twinning Society, he was a member of Caln TWP, Historic Commissioners and Old Caln Historical Society. In July 2019, Hills Homes welcomed Patty DeFroscia, who unveiled the new street name in honour of her husband during a Twinning visit, which serves as an extension of the High Penn Park development. 

Place names of Calne: Off Stokes Croft (Chissell Brook, Ladydown, Lid Brook, The Were

Ladydown

In c. 2002-2003, GreenSquare Homes built around 54 properties off Stokes Croft. The roads for these new properties were named for water courses in Wiltshire, all of which join one of the two River Avons in Wiltshire:

Chissell Brook

Chissell Brook a short stream near Kellaways joining the Bristol Avon at the bridge next to the Maud Heath sundial.
Ladydown is an area of Trowbridge that the River Biss runs through. It is an old farming area reached via a road that crosses an island, which itself is home to Ladydown watermill. The River Biss joins the Bristol Avon in Widbrook Wood.
Lid Brook covers a large area between Colerne and Ditteridge and drains into the ByBrook near Drewetts Mill House. The ByBrook joins the Bristol Avon at Bathford.

The Were, a tributary and likely origin for the first part of the name of Warminster. Meaning 'to wander' The Were runs through Warminster and the Lake Pleasure Grounds, where it is also called Swan River. It joins the River Wylye in Warminster, which joins the River Nadder at Wilton and finally, as part of the Salisbury Avon, drains to sea at Christchurch.