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

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].

Place names of Calne: Dixon Way

Dixon Way

Dixon Way is a 1950s development by the Calne borough council and named for 4 time Calne mayor, Bernard Ivan Dixon. The street is made up of semi-detached housing with pebble dash and render to create an interesting effect.

Bernard Ivan Dixon, who had declined the honour of major previously, then became Calne mayor four consecutive times, elected between 1938 and 1941. By 1938, when he was unanimously elected as mayor, Cllr Dixon had been a member of the council for 19 years, along with work for the YMCA as well as the Band of Hope and was known for his good work as chairman of the Housing Committee[1].

Outside of council, Alderman Dixon had three sons, who were all in the RAF and was an outfitter at Dixon and Sons, a firm that was established by his father, W. C. Dixon.


References:
[1] 'Calne, New Mayor Takes Office'  Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, Saturday 12 November 1938 [ONLINE] Available at:  https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001557/19381112/118/0007 [Accessed on 15 October 2019]

Place names of Calne: Newcroft Road, Newcroft Close

Newcroft Road and Newcroft Close are part of a 1950s development built on the northern extent of what was Newcroft Farm. The housing is primarily terraced and on the Lickhill Road end, a set of terraces are run as businesses, with the longest running being the Dolphin Fish Bar.

Newcroft Road

The farm was built in the late 1800s with around 90 acres and used for dairy farming[1]. While many of the fields in this area were called New Croft in the 1840s, the field that Newcroft Road and Close was actually called Ridge Mead and may refer to a long hill or ridge, alternatively it may refer to a strip in a common fiel.

Shops at Newcroft Road.

The major development in the 1950s and 1960s was achieved by the borough council purchasing Newcroft Farm in two lots from C & T Harris, who had aquired the farm in 1918 from the marquess of Crewe.



References:
[1] British-history.ac.uk. (2019). Calne: Calne outside the town | British History Online. [online] Available at: https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/wilts/vol17/pp51-64 [Accessed 15 Oct. 2019].

Place names of Calne: 1950s and 1960s Development

The major development in the 1950s and 1960s was achieved by the borough council purchasing Newcroft Farm in two lots from C & T Harris, who had acquired the farm in 1918 from the marquess of Crewe.

William Street looking towards Porte Marsh Road

In 1954 the borough council purchased 21 acres and continued their development north of Bryans Close Road. This first extension included around 230 houses in the roads that became Bishop Road, Dixon Way, Stokes Croft, and The Wynd, and extended up towards Ridgemead and the aptly named Newcroft Road. This stages of development were completed by 1960.

Hungerford Road

The 1960s period of development began after the borough council purchased the remaining 38 acres of Newcroft farm. This released land along the west side of Oxford Road, on which another 230 houses were built along with two schools and the industrial estate at Porte Marsh Road. The streets developed include Hungerford Road and Rochdale Road, which connected Bryans Close Road all the way up to Newcroft Road. All the roads off this were also built, including Warren Crescent, Luckett Way, Duncan Street, Dunnet Close, Baydon Grove, Swaddon Street, and William Street etc.

Dunnet Close, Baydon Grove, Swaddon Street, were built for letting by the South West Co-operative Housing Association. Part of Hungerford Road, Rochdale Avenue, Luckett Way and William Street was built by Permanent Home Builders, the Co-operative organisation involved with houses for sale[2].
References:
British-history.ac.uk. (2019). Calne: The town in the 20th century | British History Online. [online] Available at: https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/wilts/vol17/pp44-51 [Accessed 15 Oct. 2019].
[2] John, W., 1996. At Local Level. 1st ed. Chippenham: Antony Rowe Ltd.

Place names of Calne: Greenacres Way

Greenacres Way began life as the entrance road to the development off Woodsage Way in the 1990s and was in place certainly by 1995. I have been unable to find any evidence in the field names for Greenacres, as the land was called Brooks and Willow Tree Ground, and similar. So the road is likely named for Greenacres approved school for girls.

Greenacres was an approved school for girls. A boarding school for the unruly, or those who couldn't cope with normal school life. There are quite some stories of the havoc they'd cause in Calne and many can remember having to avoid them, however when it came to behaviour in church, they seemed to be well behaved. This didn't stop Calne parents from threatening to send their kids there for bad behaviour though!

It opened c. 1940s operating until c. 1982 and one of the buildings in use was a house called The Grange, which once belonged to the Harris family and among other subjects taught animal husbandry. During the 1970s it became a therapeutic unit for both girls and boys, with Springfields House housing the girls with the house previously known as The Grange for the boys, at that point called Greenacres.

After a time laying unused, 1983 saw Springfields school open at the site, a residential school for maladjusted boys, at that time. See Springfield Drive.

Place names of Calne: Bodinnar House

Bodinnar House

Bodinnar House was built as part of the Coleman's Farm housing scheme c. late 1960s. Named for Sir John Bodinnar (1895-1958), who came to Calne to work for C & T Harris and in 1917 became the managing director[1]. This began a period of expansion and modernisation for the Harris company, including new sausage and small-goods factories. Bodinnar also set up a Works Council, a works magazine, welfare schemes, a pension scheme, and sports activities, along with flower shows and Christmas carnivals. He was mayor of Calne three times between 1925 and 1927.

Bodinnar was also a Govenor of St. Mary's School, Calne, providing guidance and making financial arrangements for building schemes there, for his services to the school a dormitory is named after him[2]. He had to resign during the War due to his national commitments, but rejoined the Governing body after the War.

Bodinnar would gain his knighthood for his services to the country during the second World War, as Commercial Secretary and Head of Supply Department, Ministry of Food, 1941-45. He was Commercial Adviser to the Ministry of Food in 1946, and President of the Food Manufacturers Federations between 1947-49[3].

By all accounts, Bodinnar seems to have been a man of great business ability and charm, who made himself a man of Calne. Calne reciprocated by presenting the Freedom of the Borough on 4 June 1953[4].

His death was widely reported with one paper using the headline "Wartime Food Chief Dead", two charities were set up in Boddinar's name:
Sir John Bodinnar Prize In Connection With Calne Sec Mod School, which was a prize to encourage all round qualities and basic prinicples which make for character, loyalty, smypathy, and complete development with the aim of producing the leaders of tomorrow, which was registered in 1962 and ran until all the funds were spent in 2012, and
The Sir John And Lady Bodinnar's Trust (The Boddinar Trust), which makes grants to individuals residing in Calne and Calne Without to relieve need, hardship, or distress.




References:
[1] Other industries | British History Online. 2019. Other industries | British History Online. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/wilts/vol4/pp220-253. [Accessed 25 October 2019].
[2] St Mary's Calne News Sheet - 44, October 1959.
[3] Cook, C., 1975. Sources in British Political History, 1900-1951, Volume 2. 1st ed. London: The Macmillan Press Ltd. 
[4]  Sir John Bodinnar,  Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, Saturday 14 March 1953 [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001671/19530314/280/0012 [Accessed on: 25 October 2019]

Place names of Calne: Westerham Walk Area

Westerham Walk

The streets of and around Westerham Walk were built c. late 1980s to 1990s. It is a mixed development of mainly semi and detached housing. It is an area that had some interesting field names in the past, such a Little Hill, Great Hill, Old Orchard, and the evocatively named 'Adjoining Low Lane'.

Highgrove Close

The roads include:

Highgrove Close, which runs across Prince Charles Drive and refers to the home of Prince Charles, who bought Highgrove House, Gloucestershire in 1980.
Mallard Close, see Bird entry.
Mallard Close was created when, 26 flats and houses were added to Prince Charles Drive c. 1985, designed by Kendall Kingscott Partnership for Jephson Second Housing Association.
Cotswold Close, which refers to the Cotswold building stone.
Park Close, which was originally called  Sandstone Grove until c. 1997. I imagine it was changed because 'grove' refers to a small group of trees, rather than stone. Originally the word 'park' would have referred to a piece of land that was used for beasts of the chase. However, paddock, which meant a small grass enclosure, changed to 'park' when it was borrowed into Cornish[1]. Today park tends to mean an area of land used for a specific purpose, such as a business park, or an area for recreation. However, this land was actually an orchard of some antiquity, as in the 1840s, it was called 'Old Orchard'. So, I'm guessing it was felt that Park Close was a better name for the street than Sandstone Grove.
Perbeck Place, which refers to the Perbeck Building stone.
Portland Way, which refers to the Portland building stone.

Westerham Walk, Westerham would originally have meant a westerly homestead. As this street is/was on the east of Calne, I think it refers to Westerham, the place. Chartwell Manor, the home of Winston Churchill (See Churchill Close), lies on the outskirts of Westerham and is now managed by the National Trust.

Purbeck Place

References:
[1] Cavill, P., 2018. A New Dictionary of English Field-Names. 1st ed. Great Britain: English Place-Name Society.

Place names of Calne: Wenhill Heights and Wenhill Lane

Wenhill Heights

Wenhill Heights was build c. late 1980s by Persimmon Homes as a development of detached and semi-detached properties in primarily red brick and stone.

The name Wenhill comes from the common field, known on the 1831 boundary map of Calne as Went Hills and in c. 1728 as Win Hill. The name for this field has had many names, and by the 1840s tithes had the following names: Whenhill, Wenhills, and Wenhill.  After the enclosures of the early 1800s, 28 acres of the Wenhill common field was converted into a park for Vern Leaze (16 Silver Street).

Wenhill Lane is an early road that would have been in use prior to the Bristol road, now the A4, started to take traffic[1]. Wenhill Lane now leads to Wenhill Cottages.


References:
[1] Calne: Introduction | British History Online. 2019. Calne: Introduction | British History Online. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/wilts/vol17/pp27-34. [Accessed 23 October 2019].

Place names of Calne: Saddleback Close

Saddleback Close

Saddleback Close is a development of 2 terraced town houses constructed with gambrel roofs, c. 1996.

The name likely refers to saddleback breeds of pig, possibly the Wessex breed that was combined with the Essex Saddleback in the 1960s to create the British Saddleback. However, saddleback can refer to markings resembling a saddle on various animals and there saddled/belted pigs in the west country as far back as the early 1800s[1].

References:
[1] Rare Breeds Survival Trust. 2019. British Saddleback | Rare Breeds Survival Trust . [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.rbst.org.uk/british-saddleback. [Accessed 11 October 2019].

Place names of Calne: Hillcroft

Hillcroft

Hillcroft is a field name meaning land on or that contains rising ground. The name has been in use since at least 1828, when it appeared on a map by Thomas Cruse. Hillcroft was also used as the name for 23 Anchor Road, which is currently known as Kew House.

Hillcroft was owned by the Calne Methodist Church and was leased to Calne Town Council for more close to 60 years before it was sold. In 1989, the trustees of the Calne Methodists terminated the lease, valued at £350 annually, and allowed the Council to continue using the field without charge on licence until possession was needed. Neither the Council or residents were happy at the loss of recreational open space or the potential for development of the land.

Eventually, the Council would acquire the land, part of which became a small development of five red brick houses built c. 1999 - 2002[1]. The planning application submitted by Calne Town Council also included the resurfacing of a play ground into a car park and access road. This allows access to Hillcroft Playing Fields, which is next to The Recreation Grounds. In 2013, Olympian, Bobby White captain of GB's handball team, opened a family-inclusive sports area at Hillcroft. This was built via a Section 106 agreement with Hill Homes as part of their development at Sandpit Road[2].


References:
[1] Planning application N/98/01722/FUL
[2] The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald. 2020. Olympian on hand to open Calne sports area | The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/10451941.olympian-on-hand-to-open-calne-sports-area/. [Accessed 10 March 2020].

Place names of Calne: George Close, Goodall House

It is likely that both George Close and Goodall House are named for Walter Goodall George (1858-1943), who was born in Calne and held the record for running one mile for over 30 years. His father, Frederick Benjamin George, ran a druggist and chemist shop in the Strand.

However, with the family getting ever larger with the birth of Florence in 1861, the income from the business was insufficient to support them. The family left Calne, sometime after the 1961 census, for Worcestershire when Mr. George, who was born in Worcester, gained employment at Lea and Perrins, a Worcester sauce firm.

The record breaking mile run took place on 23 August 1886 at Lillie Bridge. George's time was 4 minutes, 12 and three quarter seconds. It wouldn't be until 1923 until the record was bested by 2 seconds by Paavo Nurmi of Finland[1].

I am not aware that George ever returned to Calne after his family left for Worcestershire. However, in August 1948, his widow did visit Calne on the occasion of the unveiling of a plaque at the Recreation Ground in George's honour. It is one of two plaques, with the other being on an outside wall at the Town Hall.

George Close
A row of terrace housing built c. 1975. off Forman Street.

Goodall House.

Goodall House
Goodall House was built in 2006 as part of the McCarthy & Stone Penn Court development, now managed by FirstPort. Along with the Penn Court sheltered apartment, the plan included a 10 affordable units, which comprised of two bungalows and eight housing units, which became Goodall House.

References:
Luff, E., 1993. Calne, Walter Goodall George 1858-1943. 1st ed

Place names of Calne: Heritage Quarter

Information Board outside of Calne Heritage Centre.

Calne's Heritage Quarter is a tourism project by the volunteer-led tourism group, Calne Our Place. The project celebrates Calne's historic character and charm.

A series of six information boards have been installed around the town that outline site specific information, historical photographs, and a map that shows the area of the Heritage Quarter, the blue plaques, and other key places.

Map locations are: Calne Heritage Centre, The Green, within bus shelters at, High Street, The Pippin, and both sides of The Strand.

It is well worth walking around the town and reading the information on these boards.

Place Names of Calne: Abberd - Brook, Lane, Way

I found Abberd quite a difficult name to consider. I know that 'Aber' is used in Welsh and Cornish, but this doesn't seem to develop into 'Abberd' and both Wales and Cornwall are rather distant for the name to travel without dropping similar names along the way.

However when we consider that Stanley Abbey was in the vicinity and owned land in Calne, we can see that there may be a connection worth exploring.

Part of Abberd Brook running through the
underpass with Prince Charles Drive above.

We first find a mention of Abberd in 1227, when Philip de Culiston gifted a meadow to Stanley Abbey (1151-1536), at this time the area was called Abbreya[1][2].

Gover[3] thinks that the name originally comes from the Old English Abban rid, which is Abba's Stream or brook. If this is the case, then we would have a reasonably clear connection between Abberd Brook and Stanley Abbey.

Spitfire Road that runs almost parallel with Abberd Brook for some way, running past Abberd House Farm and Abberd Fields farm. In the 1840's Wiltshire Tithes, the plots along this track were mostly labelled 'Allotment in Abberd' or 'In Abberd'. These plots were part of Abberd mead, which was a commonable meadow, eventually divided into 168 plots.

Abberd Way

Calne borough council built housing on Abberd Way (which leads to Abberd Lane) in the 1940s[4]. This was due to the urgent need for housing that was identified in the early 1940s[5]. The construction of the roads, sewers, and surface water drains were completed by around 60 German prisoners-of-war[6] (probably from the POW camp in Yatesbury, which housed around 800 Germans)[7]. By 1949, 78 houses had been built, with another 24 under construction at that time[8]. The most recent development at Abberd Way was the completion of 12 new one and two bedroom houses, built for affordable rent, starting in October 2016 with the demolition of 4 vacant flats, this development was completed by September 2017[9].


The brook is the most physical reminder of the name for most residents of Calne as it runs through the east side of the town and includes a spring fed pond close to the River Marden. In the 1960s, with the building of Coleman's Farm Estate, the brook was greatly straightened between Prince Charles Drive and the River Marden. These days Abberd Brook is under the very capable care of the Friends of Abberd Brook.


References:
[1] Internet Archive. 2019. Calendar of the Charter Rolls Preserved in the Public Record Office : Great Britain Public Record Office, H. C . Maxwell Lyte, Alfred Edward Stamp : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. [ONLINE] Available at: https://archive.org/details/calendarcharter00stamgoog/page/n59. [Accessed 23 January 2019].
[2]  Brown, G., 2011. STANLEY ABBEY AND ITS ESTATES 1151 - c.1640. 1st ed. Leicester
[3] Gover, J., Mawer, A. and Stenton, F. (1970). The place-names of Wiltshire. Cambridge: At the University Press.
[4] Calne: The town in the 20th century | British History Online. 2019. Calne: The town in the 20th century | British History Online. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/wilts/vol17/pp44-51. [Accessed 23 January 2019].
[5] Report of the Medical Officer of Health for the year ending 31st December 1943. 
[6] Report of the Medical Officer of Health for the year ending 31st December 1945.
[7] The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald. 2019. Calne children help in dig to discover more about prisoner of war camp | The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/9965786.calne-children-help-in-dig-to-discover-more-about-prisoner-of-war-camp/. [Accessed 24 July 2019]. 
[8] Report of the Medical Officer of Health for the year ending 31st December 1949.
[9] GreenSquare Group: GreenSquare celebrates completion of affordable homes in Calne. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.greensquaregroup.com/news/greensquare-celebrates-completion-of-affordable-homes-in-calne. [Accessed 24 July 2019].  

Place names of Calne: Sandy Ridge

The name Sandy Ridge suggests that the land contains sandy soil. The bedrock in this area of Calne is limestone from the Stanford Formation.

Sandy Ridge.

Sandy Ridge was a field called Rack Close in the 1840s, an piece of land owned by the Marquis of Lansdowne, with the name suggesting the land contained cloth-stretching frames[1]. In more recent times it was used as a coal merchants by one branch of the Angell family.

Bob Angell retired around 1990, aften ensuring that all of his drivers and staff had jobs to go to[2]. In the late 1990s, a private cu-de-sac, called Sandy Ridge was built and in 1998 a management company formed to acquire other houses in Sandy Ridge and to maintain and repair the properties and the road.



References:
[1] Cavill, P., 2018. A New Dictionary of English Field-Names. 1st ed. Great Britain: English Place-Name Society.
[2] Conversation on Facebook.

Place names of Calne: Castlefields, Castlefields House, Castlefields Canal and River Park

Castlefields Field
The earliest mention of Castlefield is in 1552 in the church register[1], which was a common field, however after the enclosures of the early 1800s, 33 acres was converted into a park for Castlefields House.

A 1728 map shows the area of Castlefields to be strips of land, which one field called 'Little Castle Field'. However, by 1828, Henry Alworth Merewether (See Castlefields House) owned most of what was still known as Castlefields, with the Marquis of Lansdowne and the Society of Friends owning small parcels.

At least some of the land was still being used for farming in the 1920s, as a photograph showing freely ranging chickens and a thatched rick at the area of Chaveywell shows[2].

Between the 1960s and 1980s, the northern part of Castlefields was developed as the Curzon Park bulgalow estate.

Castlefields Canal and River Park

The southern area, which includes the canal and the river Marden, has been turned into Castlefields Canal and River Park and has been well managed and improved by Castlefields Canal and River Park association since 2001 when it was still owned by Wiltshire Council[3].
A short history:
In 2000 North Wiltshire District Council established the North Wilts River Route, which leads through and out of Castlefields to Chippenham, a 16 km cycle and pedestrian route
In 2010 there was an archaeological dig by Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society in the park to identify the site of Calne's castle. It was discovered that a fortified tower house was locate din the area (see Castle entry).
In 2011 Hills Homes funded the restoration of the former lock and the replica narrow boat, known as the Jubilee Queen, which was completed in 2012.
In 2012 the area was transferred to Calne Town Council as a community asset for the fee of £1. The same year a ring of trees was planted to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, these surround an inner circle of Scots Pines, which commemorate the Diamond Jubiliee of Queen Victoria in 1897. Upper Castlefields park also contains an outline of Calne castle made of cotoneaster.
January 2013 saw Castlefields become a 2 hectare Fields in Trust site with Queen Elizabeth II fields protection, which protects parks and green spaces throughout the UK in perpetuity.
In 2015, it was agreed that the Section 106 agreement for the Station Meadow development would be used to repair the historic wall, which is a complex project including the removal of trees, demolition and partial removal of some of the wall, along with re-building and stabilisation of the wall.
2016 saw the improvements of sports equipment and fitness trail in the park, initially completed in 2005.
In 2017 came the lovely mosaic for the art festival.
In August 2018 Jubiliee Queen was restored and painted and re-stickered, while in 2019 4000 crocus bulbs were planted by volunteers as part of the Rotary Club's 'End Polio Now' campaign.


 

Castlefields House

Castlefields House
Castlefields house was built c. 1828 for Henry Alworth Merewether (1780-1864), serjeant-at-law, king's counsel, and Town Clerk for the City of London between 1842 and 1859. In 1835, along with Archibald John Stephens, he wrote his principal work, 'The History of the Boroughs and Municipal Corporations of the United Kingdom'. This three volume work detailed the history from the earliest British Period, through the Roman and Saxon period, to his present time.

For a time, it seems that the house, which sat in a 33 acre piece of land and gardens, may have been known at The Hermitage. Certainly there was an area called The Hermitage on Curzon Street that consisted of a barn, stable, and cart house, as well as a later addition of the Hermitage Cottages, on what was most likely land owned by Stanley Abbey. Perhaps it gained The Hermitage as an informal name due to proximity.

The Grade II listed house is built in Tudor Revival Style and uses crenellation on the porch and cornices, perhaps to make a connection with the romantic idea of how a castle would have looked.

The house became a residential care home between 1983 - 2000 and has since been converted into a seven bedroom, four bathroom holiday rental costing between £700-£1500 per night.

26 Castle Street, a Grade II listed building, was the lodge to Castlefields House. The gate piers for Castlefield House also still exist and mark the entrance to the Castlefield housing estate.

Castlefields

Castlefields
Castlefields is a small development of bungalows on land, at one time, held by Castlefields House. They were likely built by George Hazell's firm c. 1962, who had acquired a large part of the Castlefields House estate, with Ron Sutton aquiring the northern part of the estate, the drive of which lead to Curzon Street by the lodge (see also, Curzon Park Estate, Lodge Close)[4].


References:
[1] Marsh, A., 1903. A HISTORY OF THE BOROUGH AND TOWN OF CALNE. 1st ed. London: HAZELL, WATSON AND VINEY, LTD. 
[2] Treloar, P. (1999). Calne Revisited. 1st ed. Calne Town Council.
[3] Welcome To CARP. 2019. Welcome To CARP. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.calne-castlefieldspark.co.uk. [Accessed 10 October 2019]. 
[4] Calne in Photographs public group | Facebook. 2019. Calne in Photographs public group | Facebook. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CalnePhotographs/permalink/474667803123217/. [Accessed 13 October 2019].

Place names of Calne: The Gardens

The Gardens, Calne

The Gardens is a name well used for streets that are built upon or next to allotment gardens. Which would make sense with The Gardens, which borders what was a large allotments, these days it is much smaller. However, in this case the name, which was decided in 2013[1], was chosen because this development is quite literally built in the back gardens of four different properties.


The Gardens, a collection of 2 and 3 bedroom properties, was built by Hannick Homes, a company based in Swindon. After the demolition of a single dwelling on Lickhill Road, ten houses with access were given planning permission in 2007. An additional application was granted in 2012 to allow two additional houses to be built, increasing the development to twelve dwellings[2].


References:
[1] CALNE TOWN COUNCIL TOWN DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING COMMITTEE, 10 September 2013.
[2] Planning application N/07/00871/FUL

𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐍𝐎𝐖 Calne Place Names - 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐃 𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

Kindle Edition: https://amzn.to/4iQcu8V

Paperback: https://amzn.to/44WoMJn

This book delves into the fascinating origins and evolution of over 400 street names, local places, and modern developments, revealing the surprising layers of history beneath this ancient market town. From Saxon and Anglo-Norman roots to the legacy of influential figures and the ever-expanding town boundaries, Calne's place names offer a unique journey through time. More than just a dictionary of names, this book weaves together historical records, local knowledge, and captivating anecdotes to bring Calne's past to life. Discover the intriguing connections and answer questions such as:

Uncover the mystery of where Tori Amos filmed her haunting "Jackie's Strength" music video.

Delve into Calne's surprising connection to the very air we breathe - the discovery of Oxygen.

Trace the journey of the first-class English cricketer who traded the pitch for the pulpit, becoming a Canon and saviour of St. Mary's Church.

Journey back to a time when Calne's streets echoed with the snorts and grunts of "Hog Street" and "Piggy Hill," revealing the town's deep-rooted bacon industry.

What are the enigmatic "Calne Fates" recently unearthed from the shadows of St. Mary's School, and what secrets do they hold?

Fully revised and updated, this edition expands upon the last by including numerous previously lost place names, reflecting the significant changes Calne has undergone in the past five years, and offering a glimpse into the town's proposed future developments.

This book is a tribute to the people, events, and industries that have shaped Calne, from its earliest days to its present-day vibrancy. It's a celebration of community, memory, and the enduring power of place.

Also available soon at Calne Heritage Centre

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.