Place Names of Calne: Victoria Terrace

Victoria Terrace is named for Alexandrina Victoria (24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901). Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death and Empress of India from 1 May 1876. Her reign lasted for 63 years, 216 days, second only to our current monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.

Queen Victoria reigned during a time of massive expansion for the British Emprire and the people of the Victorian Era were well known for their knowledge and daring in all things engineering, scientific, industrial, and military.

Providence Row, Victoria Terrace

Victoria married her cousin Prince Albert in 1840 and to reinforce the connection of this street name to Queen Victoria, the impressive Albert Villa (1 Victoria Terrace) sits on the corner of North Street and Victoria Terrace, completing the pair.

Victoria Terrace was built mostly by 1885, with one set of terraced housing, Providence Row built in 1870 by Mr. James Cleverley who acquired the land from the estate of George Shadforth Ogilvie. Victoria Terrace continued as a private road, at least until 1890, however it seems that there was resistance from the property owners at the time in passing the street over to the authorities, even when the authorities had paid for improved sewers in 1889[1]. However, in 1890, when they asked the council for a street lamp to be erected, the Clerk took no time in writing to them to advise that as long as the street remained private, the responsibility was theirs, and further to this, the authority was now calling upon the property owners to install a lamp![2] Unfortunately the saga does not appear to continue in the newspapers.

References:
[1]'Victoria Terrace Sewer'  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]
[2] 'Calne Urban Saniatary Authority and the Infectious Disease (Notification) Act'  Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette, Thursday 23 January 1890 [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000360/18900123/065/0008 [Accessed on 1 October 2019]

Place names of Calne: School Road

School Road connects Lickhill Road to Beversbrook Road, the northern distributor route. This was created as part of The Calne Consortium's Lansdowne Park development and is named as it runs alongside the Persimmon-built Fynamore Community Primary School. In the past, the land used to be part of Calne's North Field.

Calne Community Neighbourhood Plan: 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 (𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐂𝐂𝐍𝐏𝟐)

Calne Community Neighbourhood Plan 2 (CCNP2) looks ahead to 2038 and seeks to protect 27 green spaces within the plan area.

This is in addition to the 14 green spaces protected in the first CCNP.

Let’s have a look at the proposed spaces...

LGS 2.1 The Green, Calne

LGS 2.2 Horsebrook Nature Trail, Calne

LGS 2.3 Wessington Park Play Area, Calne

LGS 2.4 Newbury Ave/Honeysuckle Close, Calne

LGS 2.5 Lansdowne Square, Calne

LGS 2.6 Calne Promenade, Calne

LGS 2.7 Holy Trinity Churchyard, Calne

LGS 2.8 Salmons Leap, Calne

LGS 2.9 Jubilee Copse Field, Calstone

LGS 2.10 Fynamore Gardens, Calne

LGS 2.11 West End of Station Road, Calne

LGS 2.12 Magnolia Rise, Calne

LGS 2.13 Lavender Drive, Calne

LGS 2.14 Marden Farm Allotments, Calne

LGS 2.15 Town Gardens, Calne

LGS 2.16 Castlefields Country Park, Calne

LGS 2.17 Woodland Copse, Derry Hill

LGS 2.19 Bremhill View, Calne

LGS 2.20 Lickhill Road, Calne

LGS 2.21 Newcroft Allotments, Calne

LGS 2.22 Bentley Woods & Quemerford Lodge Plantation, Calne

LGS 2.23 The Abberd Brook, Calne

LGS 2.24 Tench Road Mini Woods, Calne

LGS 2.25 Beversbrook Allotments, Calne

LGS 2.26 Woodsage Way, Calne

LGS 2.27 North End Play Area, Calne

LGS 2.28 Theobalds Green, Calstone

Note: LGS 2.18 (Pocket Park) was proposed for designation but did not pass examination tests and therefore is not included in this Plan.

Head to the Calne Community Neighbourhood Plan website for more information.

Place Names of Calne: White Horse Way

White Horse Way is named for the white horse chalk figure up at Cherhill. This horse first carved in 1780, was famously designed by Dr. Christopher Alsop (also Allsup). He apparently gave instructions on the placement of small white flags via megaphone while standing at a distance. Originally the eye of the horse was created by placing wine bottle upside down into the ground. Apart from when the horse was camoflaged during WWII, the horse has been well maintained, originally by the owner of the Manor at Cherhill. However, these day it is a local committee plan maintenance, which included a massive restoration in 2002. Regular re-chalkings take place with Cherhill Scout Group re-chalking the horse in 2019.

Calne Leisure Centre, 2019.

White Horse Way leads to the Calne Leisure Centre (during the 1990s, called White Horse Leisure Centre), which was opened in 1976, upgraded in 1997-98, and is being turned into Calne Community Campus during 2019/2020 thanks to a £3 million investment by Wiltshire Council. The road also provides access for Kingsbury Green Academy.

Place Names of Calne: Buckeridge's Steps

Buckeridge's Steps

Between 1876 and 1988, three generations of the Buckeridge family ran a shop that began as a grocer's and wine and spirit merchants business, at the corner of Market Hill.

Kelly's Directory, 1915

The business started with Albert Wilkinson Buckeridge (1838-1923). After the First World War, his son, Launcelot John (1886-1977), took over the business. Following the Second World War, Launcelot's sons, David, Paul, and Ted went into partnership, running the business until they sold the business upon retirement in 1988.

This was a successful business, which had a bottling plant and warehouse at the back of the shop and up in Castle Street. All beers and wine would arrive in large containers, to be transferred to smaller bottles and labelled. This included Guinness, with the Buckeridge's being one of the few licensed to bottle this drink under their own name. Along with supplying the local clubs and pubs with drinks, they were also known for their cheeses.

Cheese is something they decided to specialise in, along with wine and beer, when the supermarkets began to appear in the 1960s.

After 1988, the shop became Unwins, followed by the New Wine Shop. Unfortunately the shop was left empty in 2019, and we await a new occupant in this prominent shop.

For 112 years, this family business, at a prominent location, was an important part of Calne's history. In addition to the shop, they had a . So, it seems only right that these steps are known for the family that would have used this route so often.

References:
Information from Calne Heritage Centre