This article first appeared in the village book in 2000. The photo above shows Bowood House as it was in the 1920’s (Photo by Charles Reid ). The grand main house was demolished in the 1950’s.
The 1st Earl of Shelburne purchased Bowood Estate in 1754. When he died in 1761, the 2nd Earl and 1st Marquess of Lansdowne inherited the estate. At this time, it is likely that all land and property in the village were part of Bowood, with the exception of Blacklands Parsonage (situated roughly where Spinneymeads is now), Calstone Church and Rectory. The 2nd Marquess survived his father by only four years and his half-brother, the 3rd Marquess succeeded in 1809. He commissioned the first extensive and thorough survey of all property within the estate. This includes a huge map by Jonathon Powell, which still hangs on the wall in the Estate Office. A more detailed map is also kept here which includes the names of all the tenants renting land and property within the village in around 1860.
There are a large number of rentals, terriers, maps and other documents kept at Bowood. Sadly for those interested in the village history, they are not archived or indexed. Therefore producing a total history of the village as part of the estate is impossible. Extracts of some of the rentals and maps are included here.
1770
Calstone “Manor” includes:
| Great Meadlands | Meadlands | Boydles Street | Laycroft |
| Middle Meadlands | Mandrells | Green Lane Close | Far Meadlands |
| Tipples Green | Bakers Mead | Maundrills Close | Home Close |
| Round Close | Hayzes | Sheephouse Mead | Asher Mead |
| Kite Wood | Willowbed | Homeground | Tun Mead |
| Long Mead | Pease Close | Clift Piece | Hiscocks Homestead |
| Varn Dale | Bye Croft | Near Leaze | Claypit Field |
| Croft near Bunds Bridge | Brown Strong | Baileys Homestead | Frys Homestead |
| Rack Bun Field | Hill Close | Gundrys Homestead | Hews Homestead |
| Rack Close | Bean Croft | Patten Hill | Shepherd Close |
| Nefslett Hill | Oliver Close | Blue Close | Red Close |
1808
John Carpenter renting Middle Farm including Wash Pool:
£ Shillings Pence
1 0 7 Farm Building
20 Orchard in Smith Ground
27 Cottage and Garden
13 Cottage
25 Cottage
1 28 Cottage
1 2 Smokelands Field
1 3 Barn and Yard
1 26 Pasture Patten Hill
1 25 Plot by Wash Pool
The rental also included:
| Ram Ground | Smiths Ground | Late Hicks Ground | Kings Close |
| Lay Croft | Bakers Mead | Moorcroft | Seats Mead |
| Little Moorcroft | West Buns | Little Seats Mead | Calstone Down |
1810
The farmers working in Calstone included:
Middle Farm John Carpenter
West Farm William Snook
East Farm H J Maundrell
Rogers Mill John Carpenter
Sprays Farm John Hubard
The rental of West Farm was £366 3 shillings and 14 pence. This included Blue Close, Withy Bed and a Plantation in Ash Close.
1811
Holly Ditch Farm was rented by Ann Hitchcock for £16 8 shillings and 3 pence.
1860
By 1860, a significant amount of land in the village had been sold by Bowood. Landowners now included Lord Folkston, Mr Baily, William Pond and Mr Mandrell.
20th Century
Land and properties have continued to be sold throughout the last century by Bowood mainly to private purchasers. There are still a few properties owned by Bowood. There are some deeds kept at Bowood but as they are not archived they are not accessible at the present time.
The son of the current Marquess, Simon Henry George, born in 1970, has the title of Viscount Calne and Calstone, retaining today the link to our village.
Grateful thanks to Lord Lansdowne and Dr K Fielden, Bowood Estate.