Calne Heritage Centre

31/05/2026

📸 Can you help us identify this photograph? 📸

We’ve recently received a wonderful enquiry from a former Calne resident who visited the Heritage Centre, and they’re hoping the community can help fill in a few missing details about this photo.

Here’s what we know so far:

The Vicar: Rev. Canon O’Hanlon (the lady beside him is believed to be his wife).

Back Row, Far Right: Dorothy Rumming.

Next to Dorothy: Jean Barnett.

Both Jean and Dorothy worked in the Harris offices during the 1950s, so there’s a strong possibility this gathering is Harris‑related.

Can anyone help us identify:
The venue
The occasion
The “main man” in the centre of the photograph

Or any other familiar faces.

If you recognise anyone or remember the event, please leave a comment below. It’s always a pleasure to piece together more of Calne’s shared history and memories.

29/05/2026

We are pleased to announce that we are now stocking greetings cards by local artist, Sonia Hill Art

Each card is £2.50 and left blank inside for your own message. At around 6×4 inches, they're also perfectly sized to frame.

Pop in and stock up while they're available!

18/05/2026

We're part of 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝘁𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗟𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆

By choosing the Calne Heritage Centre as your Wiltshire Lottery charity, you are directly investing in the beating heart of our community's identity. Entirely run by passionate volunteers, we work tirelessly to preserve, interpret, and share the vibrant history of Calne and its surrounding villages. From local school children exploring their roots to thousands of visitors from across the globe, we provide an educational, welcoming, and safe space for everyone to discover the stories that shaped our town.

Your Ticket Helps Us Stay Free and Accessible
Every single ticket you purchase helps us tackle our most critical challenge: meeting the unavoidable annual costs—like insurance, utilities, and essential security systems—required to keep our historic building open. Because we are a volunteer led charity, this crucial funding ensures we can keep our doors wide open and completely free to access for all residents, local schools, and community groups.

Maximum Impact, Locally Multiplied
When you support us, your contribution stretches incredibly far. Our dedicated volunteers contribute nearly 1,800 hours of their time annually to staff the centre, build interactive exhibitions, and answer local history queries. This unmatched community dedication turns every pound raised into massive local value, directly safeguarding our collective heritage and cultural identity for future generations to enjoy.

Sign up today, choose Calne Heritage Centre as your cause, and help us keep Calne’s unique history alive, accessible, and free for everyone!

Thank you for your support and good luck!

Wiltshire Community Lottery - a fun and easy way to support good causes in Wiltshire!

15/05/2026

Wonderful to see that the C&T Harris book, written by one of our trustees is the current local treasure at Calne Library

fans

This month’s is C&T Harris (Calne) – An Illustrated History by Dee La Vardera.
Calne and the Harris factory are inextricably linked. If you’ve lived here long enough you’ll remember the building that dominated the town and all it’s associations.
This book takes you from the small shop that was opened by widow Sarah Harris in 1770, it’s growth to become a highly regarded international meat producer and, finally, to its demise, closure and demolition in the 1980s.
Calne is know for many things but, it’s fair to say, the Harris family left a dominant legacy.
It is an illustrated book and there are plenty of photos, many of which will surely bring back memories for many of us.
C&T Harris (Calne) – An Illustrated History is available to view or borrow from the Local Studies section in Calne Library.

13/05/2026

We are honored to be chosen as one of the Town Mayor’s charities for the coming year!

At the Calne Heritage Centre, we are the guardians of our town’s unique story. From managing thousands of archived treasures to hosting vibrant community exhibitions, we work hard to keep Calne’s history free and accessible to everyone.

However, to keep our doors open and our archives safe, we need a little help. Our 2004 boiler is reaching the end of its life, and we are raising funds to replace it so we can keep our visitors (and our artifacts!) warm and dry.

We are proud to share this fundraising effort with the Calne Men’s Shed. Please consider donating or sharing the link below to help us protect our heritage:
https://gofund.me/f2c4d8108

Thank you!

𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐨𝐫 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 - 𝟏𝟏 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 - 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞

It has been a truly memorable few weeks for Calne, highlighted by the wonderful visit from our twin town, Eningen. It was a pleasure to showcase the very best of our local spaces and deepen the bonds of friendship between our two communities.

As I begin my term as Town Mayor, I am also excited to launch this year’s Mayor’s Appeal in support of the Calne Heritage Centre and the Calne Men's Shed (it's not just for men). Both organisations are run entirely by dedicated volunteers and do so much to preserve our history and support the wellbeing of our residents.

Please take a look at the full update below to hear more about the twinning visit and how you can support these fantastic local causes!

Support the Mayor’s Appeal here:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-annual-town-mayors-appeal

Link to full update:
https://www.calnepastandpresent.co.uk/2026/05/deputy-mayor-update-april-11-may-2026.html

11/05/2026

We had the pleasure of receiving the twinning delegation from Eningen during their stay in Calne.

11/05/2026

Calne Heritage Trivia Trail - Duck Race Day Special!

Pop in to Calne Heritage Centre on Saturday 16th May (10am-4pm) for a fun, free activity celebrating our town's heritage.

Take part in the Calne Heritage Duck Trail, including a letter scavenger hunt for your little ducklings.

A perfect stop during the Duck Race - come and join the quacking good fun!

Free entry.

30/04/2026

𝗘𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

At Calne Heritage Centre, we're supporting Calne Twinning and Calne Town Council with this exhibition on Eningen, one of Calne's twin town in readiness for their upcoming visit.

These items will be on display throughout their visit to Calne between the 8-12 May, pop in to find out more!

29/04/2026

New stock at Calne Heritage Centre

Celebrate the rich history of our town with the official Calne Heritage Centre commemorative mug!

Featuring the iconic vintage artwork of Harris Bacon & Wiltshire Sausages, this high-quality ceramic mug is a tribute to Calne’s legendary "Pig City" roots. Whether you're a local history buff or just looking for the perfect gift, this mug blends local pride with classic design.

Product Details
Design: Features the "Harris Bacon" vintage pig illustration and the official Calne Heritage Centre logo.

Quality: Durable white ceramic, perfect for your morning tea or coffee.

Purpose: All proceeds go directly toward supporting the Heritage Centre and preserving our local history.

Price: £8.00 each

Where to Buy:
Available now at the Calne Heritage Centre. Drop in during our opening hours to pick yours up and take a piece of Calne’s heritage home with you!

Supporting our past, one brew at a time.

10/02/2026

𝐕𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐕𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬

We currently have a vacancy for our Thursday afternoon shifts: 1pm - 4pm

To find out more about this opportunity contact Sue Boddington at [email protected] or call 01380 828851

We look forward to hearing from you.