This 2.3 mile walk will take you around the wonderfully diverse art in Calne, taking in both the urban environment of the town centre and some of the green spaces along the Abberd Brook and Castlefields park.
Important Information:
2 hours free parking available at the Church Street car park, also known as the Heritage Quarter car park. This is accessible from New Road.
For additional information on the art in this trail, lost art, and art in the neighbouring parishes, head to https://www.calneheritageandamenities.org.uk
Directions:
1) This walk begins at the Sainsbury's forecourt.
The design here was a collaborative venture between Calne Artists' Groupmembers and Sainsbury‘s.
The sheep bronzes are by Richard Cowdy and draw attention to Calne‘s heritage as a centre for the wool industry.
The cobbled featured paving designed by David Reeves simulates the corn circles that are so much a characteristic feature of Wiltshire.
From here, head to the pavement that will take you down and around The Pippin, past the Pocket Park, and up to Broken Cross.
2) Cross the road at Broken Cross and follow this road easter until you reach Abberd Way and the second piece of art on this trail, the Carnival of the Seasons.
The mural, designed by Sandi Sayer as a Calne Clean Up Crew project, follows the seasons from early snowdrops, on to bluebells and foxgloves. These are followed by
conkers, fungi, and finally mistletoe berries.
Walk around the corner to Abberd Way, turning right.
3) After turning the corner on to Abberd Way, you will reach 'Be Kind' a mural to your right.
‘Be Kind‘ is a graffiti-style work from Calne Clean Up Crew founder Catherine Crofts with the blessing of GreenSquareAccord.
This clean, yet bold design in a prominent location with a powerful message was painted over two days in April 2022.
4) Cross the road at The Knapp and Ogilvie Square, continuing onward as Abberd Way in turn becomes Prince Charles Drive. Keep your eyes peeled, again to the left, for your first glimpse of 'Coral Reef Frieze'.
This piece highlighting the beauty of the ocean was designed by Penny Errill and painted with assistance from Yew Woodland, Gordon Burns, Sandi Sayer, Catherine
Crofts and Samantha Payne.
This piece has been granted permission to be expanded, taking in the wall to the left, which will likely happen in 2023.
5) Round the corner, staying on the path between the gardens of Page Close and the road verge at Prince Charles Drive. As you reach the Abberd Brook, you will begin to see the mosaics of the underpass.
The first nature-themed mosaics were installed in the underpass at Prince Charles Drive in 2011. In 2014, Gill and David Reeves, along with local children produced additional mosaics with funding from The Big Lottery, Wiltshire Council, Calne Town Council, and Calne Lions.
6) Keeping to the side of approach, cross the brook, with the underpass on your left, following the same path. Following this path south will swiftly bring you to Forman Street. Turn right here, following the pavement to Angell Close and the Coleman's Farm mosaics.
The Community Centre at Coleman‘s Farm has been adorned with this mosaic comprising of birds and flowers since 2013. It was created as part of a community project spearheaded by ceramicists, David and Gill Reeves.
7) After viewing the mosaics, follow the path to the side of the community centre to join the path at Abberd Brook. Here you have two choices, you can cross the brook using the stepping stones, after which turn left. Alternatively turn left until you reach the bridge, cross the brook here, and the turn left.
Follow this path, with the brook to your left, for around 400 metres. Upon reaching the car park, turn right, following the path back up to The Pippin.
Cross straight over at the roundabout and head into the Pocket Park, crossing over the bridge to the far side of the River Marden.
This will bring you to Calne's most Church Street, the Priestley Mosaic, and Calne's most densely populated area of public art.
This seating area which incorporates a mosaic at ground level is a decorative tribute to Dr Priestley who lived on The Green in Calne during the latter half of the 18th century,
while he carried out his scientific investigations at Bowood.
Designed by David Reeves and made with the collaboration of Vivien ap Rhys Pryce and Chris Fixsen.
8) At Church Street turn right. As you walk, the walls of Beach Terrace will become visible. The most recent set of ceramics were installed in 2022.
In 2021, several ceramic tiles were designed by Richard Cowdy and Vivien ap Rhys Price for Calne Heritage and Amenities Organisation to replace previous designs that had gone missing over the years. The theme continues the ‘Breath of Life‘ theme from the neighbouring river wall highlighting species that can be found along the River Marden.
9) Walking a few steps further on, you can enter the green bank of the Marden here to view the ceramics of the river wall.
Looking across the river from Church Street one can see animals, birds, fish and other images in a number of niches in the river wall.
These ceramic bas-reliefs have been made by Richard Cowdy and Vivien ap Rhys Price to reflect and symbolise the 'Breath of Life' theme, reinforcing the life-giving nature of
oxygen.
10) Back on Church Street make your way to The Strand and ascend the steps to view our next installation, The Head.
In 2000 the then Town Mayor initiated an international competition for a sculpture, to celebrate the millennium, which was won by the sculptor Rick Kirby. The theme of the sculpture reflects both the past and the future of Calne in symbolic terms.
The sculpture was unveiled by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Calne on 7 December 2001.
11) Approaching the entrance to Calne library, you will see the bronze relief of Jan Ingenhousz. Looking away from the library you will see the pavement designed to look like a leaf.
Jan Ingenhousz is the genius who solved the mysteries of photosynthesis.
He was buried within St Mary‘s Church, Calne, in 1799 and is remembered by this bronze relief head at the entrance to Calne Library. The head is surrounded by a star shape representing the sun.
Snaking down from this bronze relief towards The Head is paving in the form of a leaf, made from dark grey and white granite setts.
David Reeves designed the paving and made the ceramic inserts, while the modelled head of Ingenhousz is by Vivien ap Rhys Pryce.
12) Using the pedestrian crossing at the lights towards New Road, we move away from the town centre. Notice the Indian Bean tree, one of the trees celebrating Calne Twinning, more of which will be discussed in point 18. A wide variety of diverse art forms still await. Look at the railings at the front gardens of Carnegie Mews.
The theme of this metalwork reflects the nature and topography of the Wiltshire downs.
They were designed by Calne Artists' Group member Peter Collyer and made by local
blacksmith Arthur Cole.
13) Continue along New Road towards the roundabout, crossing at the refuge island. Follow the pavement round to Station Road and then take the path to Calne Bowl for Calne's most dynamic art.
Calne Bowl was re-built in 2015 with boards provided by Calne Town Council for the purpose of graffiti. The dynamic nature of this art form mean that the designs are constantly changing.
14) Follow the path back out of Calne Bowl and to the left entering Castlefields park via the bridges. Stay to the left of the canal boat and take the left-most path, which follows the River Marden. Keep your eyes peeled for the brass rubbings depicting nature that are around Castlefields park.
In 2006, Celia Stevens led a project with Calne Watch Group, a junior branch of the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust.
Local artist, David Reeves helped the children of the Watch Group develop their ideas into the eight brass rubbings, which are mounted on posts around Castlefields Park.
15) As the path curves with the river, another path will join it from the right and flow towards Chaveywell bridge. You will pass the first example of the decorative kissing gates. Taking a short diversion to the left, away from Chaveywell bridge will provide more examples.
When you have finished observing the gates, cross Chaveywell bridge.
The entrance to the North Wilts Rivers Route near Chavey Well Bridge in Castlefields, is adorned with an entrance arch and kissing gates designed by Calne Artists‘ Group members Richard Cowdy and David Reeves.
16) Turn right off Chaveywell bridge and cross over the outlet from the spring here. Walk on until you see an incline to the left. Take a left here, coming back on yourself as you enter upper Castlefields. Follow the path to the right of the two circles of trees and eventually a left to rest in, and admire, the Garden of Reflection.
As a legacy of the shocking tragedy of the Derry Hill crash in 2020, a garden of reflection has been caringly designed and planted.
The objective of the garden‚ ‘is to create a safe space for family and friends to remember the boys as well as a quiet and reflective location for the whole community'.
The garden was designed by landscape architect, Paul Jolliffe and project managed by Su Johnson. The masterpiece of the design is a bespoke circular armillary, handcrafted by Capal Tenison of Border Sundials, placed on a stone plinth.
17) When leaving the Garden of Reflection, follow the path left and down a short decline to the entrance of Castlefields park.
The entrance into Castlefields Canal & River Park is an impressive assemblage including many forms of art. These include the magnificent gate designed by David Reeves, depicting a canal boat riding the waves of the canalised part of the Marden.
Exploring further in, there are ceramics encircling the Music and Arts Festival tree. The Castlefields pocket park has embedded ceramics in the path and an animal mosaic
on the fence. Back in the main park is the adapted canal boat known as the Jubilee Queen, for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.
18) To view the penultimate piece of art on this trail, head out of Castlefields through the wonderfully decorative gates. This leads out to Patford Street, where you will take a right towards the Marden House Centre and a left to walk the path between the Wharf sheltered housing and the canalised section of the River Marden.
Walk past Calne Town Hall and cross Cox's Hill to The Strand and continue onward to Market Hill at Curzon Street. Here you can ascend the steps, or walk around the corner to the incline.
Three indian bean trees were planted, at the suggestion of Cllr Eric Porter, in 2000 to celebrate
the twinning of Calne with Charlieu, Eningen and
Caln, Pennsylvania. The trees are situated in front of Bank House, outside the Lansdowne Strand
Hotel, and on Market Hill.
Each tree was originally surrounded by a special cast-iron tree grill with squirrel motif, sadly only the grill at the Calne-Charlieu tree at Market Hill remains. Letters carved into slate celebrating the anniversaries of the twinning.
How long this final grill will last is anyone's guess.
19) After making your way back to the pavement at Curzon Street, take the pedestrian crossing over to High Street, heading north.
As you reach the top of High Street, turn left and you will soon see Calne's very first piece of public art, a sculpture known as, Two Pigs, at Phelps Parade.
The ‘Two Pigs' piece was commissioned in 1978 by Calne Civic Society and made by local sculptor, Richard Cowdy. The subject reflects Calne's long-standing association
with the C&T Harris business which dominated the town for over a hundred years until its factories were demolished c.1984.
You are now at the end of the trail. Continuing along Phelps Parade and across the zebra crossing will bring you back to the beginning of the trail, otherwise you can stop at this point and continue as you wish.
Thank you for using this route!
Words and Photographs: Tim Havenith
Map from the lovely folks at OpenStreetMap. © OpenStreetMap contributors
