Origins of houses in Calstone

The village used to be part of the Bowood Estate and has largely been untouched by recent development. A number of old semi detached cottages have been converted to make new larger houses but very little new building has taken place over the years. It has been estimated that as many as 20 old cottages have been lost in the village through fire or neglect in the past. The photo archive section contains (will contain) photos of several of these. The table below was taken from the 2000 edition of the village book. It is a little out of date, many houses are missing – I will update it at some point with links to photos of the relevant houses (both old and new).

HouseOriginsComments

Tog Hill
Early 1600s Miller’s House Rebuilt and extended 1947/48House linked to Upper Mill. Rebuilt by John Grierson, founder of the documentary film movement.

South Farm
1983 Farmhouse (current) Previous farmhouse demolished 1972Previous house stood where the riding school is now. (or rather was in 2000)
Uplands House (20&21 Calstone)c.1870 farm workers’ cottages (on site of 18th century cottage)Occupants in the 20th century include William Dorman, Jack Kepner, George Embling, Shep Maslen, Pat and Sandy Maundrell, Roger and Penny Roberts, Mark Weinberg, Mrs King and Mr & Mrs Horne
Cart House CottageConverted farm outbuilding into a house in 2003 

Whitening Ring (and cottage)
No longer visible (close to where tennis court is now)See calstone.org/whiting-ring
Fish Farm and Ram Pumps (Spout Lane)Fish Farm closed in ????Ram pump now superseded by electricity; Calstone water still supplies part of the village.
Thatch Cottagec.1800 (2) farm workers’ cottagesNow converted into one house.

Old Rectory
15th Century, extended 1880. Ceased to be rectory in 1960’s.House ransacked by Roundheads after the Battle of Roundway in 1643 and the outline of a helmet is carved below the dining room window to show this.

Church
Mid 15th Centurysee https://calstone.org/st-mary-the-virgin-church/

14 Calstone (was a pink bungalow – recently rebuilt)
1914 (laundry worker’s cottage).  Small thatched cottage previously on this site destroyed by fire . Bungalow was officially opened on the day World War 1 started. 1960’s occupied by Florrie Smith the retired village laundress.
Barrow Hill1974 Farm worker’s cottageBuilt to accommodate East Farm dairyman. Sold into private ownership 1997. The hill is reputedly called Barrow Hill because of the barrow loads of soil brought in to create the road through the dip.

Site of some old village houses
Now goneLooking across from Barrow Hill towards the Church is the probable site of the original village. See here:

East Farm (Now Calstone House)
Early 1540sOriginal timber-framed house rebuilt in stone in 1607. Evidence of original wattle and daub, etc

12, 13 Calstone
Farm worker’s cottages c.1880A well in the garden of number 12 provided water for four houses before the piped private supply was provided in c.1912.

Manor Farm
Pre-1600? Front refurbished 1876.Posible site of Calstone House demolished during the civil war.
Old Coach HouseConverted to residence 1998.Originally stables, tack room and carriage house. Later garages for Manor Farm `house.

9, Calstone
c.1890 Farm worker’s cottage20th century occupants include John Dew, Leslie Dew, Mr Babbage, Bert Wilson, and Robin Peck.

8 Calstone
c.1870Former schoolteacher’s house.  It belonged to the Diocese along with the school.  In 1965 Miss McKendrick who was a teacher at The Bentley Grammar School occupied it. In 1972 when she moved on two teachers, Tim and Judith Stevens, moved in who taught at Fynamore Secondary Modern School. Within 3 years they were evicted by the Diocese and the property passed into the hands of the North Wiltshire District Council and council tenants moved in from Calne. Ten years later the council sold it to the sitting tenant.

The Old School  
School built in 1870 closed in 1962.Sold by Diocese and first converted into dwelling in 1971-72. Sold on to Flight Lieutenant Harry Hall. 

7 Calstone (Spinneymeads)
1877Former Post Office. (c.1890 Philip White was sub-postmaster, letters arriving from Calne at 7am and 6.40pm to callers only; dispatched at 9.25am and 7pm; no mail Sundays; postal orders issued but not paid.) The Silver Band used to meet and practice in what is now the kitchen.
reading room
Yew Tree House
1883 Reading Room, free lending library and shop.Reading Room and library supported by the Marquess of Lansdowne, Lord Edmond G Petty-Fitzmaurice, the rector and farmers of the neighbourhood. Also a small holding mainly calves and chickens for eggs run by “Shook” Cleverly’s daughter. During the war it was the meeting place for the Home Guard and was used as a village social room for wedding receptions, playing darts and cards

Another cottage, between Yew Tree House and Yew Tree Cottage
No longer exists.
Yew Tree Cottage2 cottages pre-1800?Owned by Salisbury Diocese until 1938.


Sprays Mill (now gone) Calstone Mill Blackland Mill
MillsSee section on mills

Chapel House  
Former Wesleyan Chapel 1866See section on Chapel )to be completed)

The Olde Thatch 25, Theobalds Green
1600’s small farmhouse? Extended early 1800’sOnce a small pig farm. Same family from 1800’s until 1992. 
26, Theobalds Green1600’s farm worker’s cottageFamily home since 1960’s. 
Old village cottage
Forge House
Small bungalow until sold in 1973 and much extended.Site of village blacksmith

Robbins Piece (1-4)
Early 1950’s council houses. All now significantly enlarged and renovated,Previously the site of one cottage belonging to the Robbins family.
Stables
Seven Boxes
Barn converted in 1999
Old house 1910
Guernsey Villa
Now agricultural buildings only on this site of former house.

30,31 Greens Lane
1824 Farm workers’ cottagesBuilder John Jacks (or Jakes).

32 Greens Lane  
c.1850 Farm worker’s cottage 
33 Greens Lane circa 1960 prior to renovation
33 Greens Lane  
1700s Farm worker’s cottage
The Marshes1974Built for Beryl Maundrell, widow of George Maundrell.