Timeline Calne: 1886 Calne's new Town Hall

Calne Town Hall, 2017.

In June 1883 the old Town Hall, that had existed on the West of the High Street, was demolished with the intention of building a replacement on the same site. However, public opinion made it known that this would be a mistake.

Carved stone coat of arms
from the original town hall
is still visible on our current Town Hall.

Therefore, the council purchased the Town Mill from Lord Lansdowne for £950. Additional land was purchased at a later date to include a new police station and two cells (which now form the mayor's parlour), which was to the right of the archway.

Local builder, Beazley had his bid accepted at £4,800. The instruction to begin the work was not given until April of 1884, as additional funds needed to be raised. The original plans by Bryan Oliver of Bath, didn't include the clock tower, but was agreed to during the building process.

While the Council met in the new Town Hall on 3 March 1886, the foundation work was so expensive that it wasn't until 1888 that the building was paid for. The massive cost for the foundation was due to the discovery that the actual ground level was over 7 metres down, incuding the uncovering of some red deer antlers, and over the centuries had appeared higher due to being silted up.

The majority of the building, almost 70%, was paid for by subscribers, who paid £6515 6s 1d of the final cost of £9375 4s 3d. Henry William Harris was the first Calne Town Mayor to serve in the new Town Hall (1886 and 1187).

Resources:
Treloar, P., 1973. Calne Borough Council in the Nineteenth Century. 1st ed. Calne
Marsh, A., 1903. A HISTORY OF THE BOROUGH AND TOWN OF CALNE. 1st ed. London: HAZELL, WATSON AND VINEY, LTD.