Rare Book Returns to Wiltshire. A rare first edition of Bleak House by Charles Dickens is returning to its historic Wiltshire home. Its owner, Victoria Miles from Vancouver, Canada, decided the treasured book should return to Chiseldon. It’s returned to the home of its first owners, the Calley family of Burderop Park.
Published in 1853, the famous Victorian novel tells the story of the Jarndyce family. They became embroiled in a dispute around the inheritance of a fortune – all wrapped up in a murder mystery. As with much of Dicken’s work the novel first went into to print as as series of articles, from 1851.
Victoria’s father, Larry Candido, bought this particular edition for £12 from a London bookshop, almost 20 years ago.
Bookplate
It bears a bookplate inside its front cover bearing the coat of arms of the Calley family. And the name of Thomas Charles Pleydell Calley of Burderop Park, Wiltshire. The book is rare and thought to have a value of at least £300.
Rare Book Returns to Wiltshire – Copy of Bleak House showing the book plate
Realising its historical connection to Wiltshire, Victoria contacted Chiseldon Local History Group (CLHG) offering to donate it to their museum.
Victoria said: ‘My husband and I are both excited to visit England in November. We’ll meet the community in Wiltshire who already care as much about preserving the book as we do.
It bears a bookplate inside its front cover bearing the coat of arms of the Calley family. And the name of Thomas Charles Pleydell Calley of Burderop Park, Wiltshire. The book is rare and thought to have a value of at least £300.
Realising its historical connection to Wiltshire, Victoria contacted Chiseldon Local History Group (CLHG) offering to donate it to their museum.
Victoria said: ‘My husband and I are both excited to visit England in November. We’ll meet the community in Wiltshire who already care as much about preserving the book as we do.
‘Repatriating this book to Burderop Park is a great privilege. We’re so appreciative of the care and commitment the Chiseldon Local History Group and Arthur Dallimer have expressed to us as the book’s future custodians.’
Chiseldon Local History Group Spokesperson
Elaine Jones, Chairperson of CLHG, said: ‘It was a surprise and a delight to receive such an intriguing email from so far away. All the contents of Burderop Park went up for sale when Miss Joan Calley, the last of the direct line, died in 1972. It would be fantastic to have a tangible link to the Calley family, who had lived at Burderop Park since 1619, returned to its home parish. Major General T C P Calley (Thomas) was such a prominent figure, both in public life and in the local area.
‘Yet, it presented us with a problem. While we could display Victoria’s book on museum open days, the building is not temperature controlled. Further, it’s damp which would not be good for such a fragile object.
‘Then we had an idea! Why not contact Arthur, the current owner of Burderop Park? It’s once again a family home after almost 50 years as the HQ of the civil engineering company, Halcrow. We had met Arthur when he kindly hosted group members at his restored home and showed us round the house and grounds last year. The delighted Arthur, accepted our offer to house the precious book as a long term loan from Chiseldon Local History Group.’
Major General Thomas Calley CB CBE MVO, son of Henry Calley, lived between 1856 and 1932. He was a British Army officer in the Life Guards and led them at Queen Victoria’s funeral in 1901. Furhter he served in many places including in the Second Boer War where he had a horse shot from under him. Major Calley was also, for a short period, a Member of Parliament for Cricklad – elected in early 1910. He then lost his seat at the end of that year.
A friend to the royal family, Calley served as Silver Stick in Waiting at the Coronation of Edward VII in 1902. He was a Mason and a Swindon Lodge takes his name. He particularly supported the British Legion and hosted the annual Wiltshire rally at Burderop Park. Locally he was patron of many village organisations such as Chiseldon Cricket Club. After his death a new British Legion hall was built in the village and named in his memory.
Burderop Manor
Arthur is now the custodian of Burderop Manor and is passionate about heritage, arts and culture generally and an advocate for preserving local history.
He said: ‘This is a wonderful example of history finding its way home. The book is of course delicate and deserves preservation in the right environment. I’m pleased to accept a long term loan for it at Burderop House while ensuring it remains accessible as part of Chiseldon’s local heritage.’
Victoria has also accepted an invitation from Arthur to visit Burderop Manor to make a formal presentation of the book to the Chiseldon community later this year. Thus bringing its remarkable journey full circle.
Chiseldon Local History Group dedicates itself to researching, preserving and sharing the rich history of Chiseldon and its surrounding communities. The group has a museum in The Old Chapel in Butts Road. It’s open every Saturday between 2pm and 4pm until the end of September 2026.
Run by volunteers, entry to the museum is free.
Working with local residents, historians and organisations, the group helps protect important artefacts and historical records for future generations. For more information visit chiseldonlhg.org.uk
Anything but a bleak house – The Bothy in the Bothy Gardens at Burderop:
Signal 2026 Programme Announcedengaging more young people in more places than ever before engaging more young people in more places than ever before.
Signal Festival, Swindon’s dedicated youth arts festival, is now accepting bookings for its full 2026 programme. There’s over 50 events taking place across the town. And a wider age range of 9 to 25-year-olds able to take part for the first time.
Organised by Prime Theatre and delivered in partnership with more than 40 partner organisations and artists, Signal Festival will run from Friday 24 July to Saturday 1 August 2026. It’s bringing performances, workshops and exhibitions to venues across Swindon. This year’s programme places a strong emphasis on whole-day events at key community venues including:
Town Gardens
Richard Jefferies Museum and …
… The Platform. All helping to open up the festival to even more people across the town.
Having before welcomed young people aged 11 to 25, Signal Festival 2026 broadens its reach to include children from the age of nine. Thus reflecting the festival’s ambition to engage more young people in more places than ever before.
Signal 2026 Programme Announced
Over fifty events
With over fifty events spanning music, dance, theatre, spoken word, digital and visual arts, this year’s programme offers something for every young creative in Swindon. Whether they’re picking up a paintbrush, microphone or camera for the first time, or showcasing skills they’ve been developing for years.
Councillor Matthew Vallender, Cabinet Member for Culture, Planning and Regeneration, Swindon Borough Council, said:
‘Signal Festival is a fantastic celebration of Swindon’s young creative talent. And it’s inspiring to see so many young people shaping the festival themselves. It’s exciting to hear more about the planned workshops and to speak with everyone involved.’
Louise Aust, Signal Festival Young Producer, said:
‘We’ve loved putting together this year’s programme. Expanding our age range and working with more venues has helped us create a diverse and exciting programme of events that celebrates Swindon’s creativity.’
The full programme, including information on how to book events, is available now at signalfestival.co.uk. Many events are free, while others cost a mere £3. Organisers are encouraging families, schools and young people across Swindon to explore the line-up and find something that inspires them.
Signal Festival 2026 will run from Friday 24 July to Saturday 1 August. Events will take place at venues across Swindon.
To find out more, visit signalfestival.co.uk. Or follow @signalfestivalswindon on Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms.
Threads Festival Returns to Brunel. Swindon town centre visitors are being kept in stitches this July as the popular Threads Textile Festival has taken over a retail unit at The Brunel centre.
Launched on Saturday, July 11 and running until Saturday, July 25, The Brunel Swindon is the venue for the fortnight-long celebration. It aims to bring the local community together through the versatile medium of textile art.
You’ll find this year’s vibrant hub of exhibitions and workshops at 19 Canal Walk (next to McDonald’s).
A spokesperson for The Brunel Swindon said: ‘We’re so delighted to host the Threads Textile Festival this year. And to provide a space where local creativity can flourish. The Brunel sits at the heart of our community. Thus it’s fitting to welcome an event that’s all about weaving people together through art and shared experiences.
Threads Festival Returns to Brunel
A theme of empowerment
‘The ‘Threads of Empowerment’ theme is so powerful. And we can’t wait to see our unit in Canal Walk transformed into a vibrant hub of inspiration, workshops and incredible local talent.’
The creative charity Artsite, are the organisers of the festival, alongside Swindon Stitch Social and the Big Knit. Its purpose being to showcase the very best of regional textile talent.
Visitors can look forward to a diverse programme crafted to inspire throughout the two-week event.
Festival highlight
A major highlight on display for the duration of the festival is the ‘I Am Woman’ Project. That comprises a 2D life-sized patchwork woman created by textile artist Holly Searle, also known as The Subversive Stitcher.
The festival schedule also features an empowerment-themed patchwork talk and hands-on workshop, exploring this popular craft and its connection to personal storytelling.
The fortnight then culminates in a market on Saturday, 25 July. It’ll be showcasing the work of local textile groups and independent artists, with stalls selling everything from hand-spun yarns to unique, handcrafted items. The Brunel will also be hosting its Monthly Makers Market inside the Shopping Centre. That’s on the ground floor near Boots on the same day. If you’re interested in joining the Makers Market, contact the Brunel team at info@thebrunel.co.uk.
The Threads Textile Festival comes hot on the heels of the Swindon Arts Fringe Festival, also hosted by The Brunel.
This back-to-back summer scheduling cements The Brunel Swindon’s reputation as a champion for the town. And as the place to go for a wide range of both independent stores and national brands, and many eateries.
SALOS Dons Kinky Boots. With great delight, SALOS announce that rehearsals are underway for their next production. They’re bringing the uplifting, feel-good musical Kinky Boots to the Wyvern stage this autumn.
This award-winning Broadway and West End sensation will make its long-awaited Swindon debut at the Wyvern Theatre. It promises to lift your spirits to new high-heeled heights!
When Charlie Price inherits his family’s failing shoe factory, saving both the company and his love life feels like too tall an order. Until, that is, he meets Lola, the sparkling drag queen with the unlikeliest of answers. Can they work together to reboot the business and save the day? It could be they simply need to help each other and everyone around them to stand a little taller. aAnd discover that, when you change your mind about someone, you can change the world.
SALOS dons kinky boots – poster for show
A true story
Based on an uplifting true story and much-loved film, Kinky Boots features Grammy and Tony Award-winning music and lyrics by pop icon Cyndi Lauper and a hilarious book by Harvey Fierstein. Featuring hit numbers such as Raise You Up, Land of Lola and Not My Father’s Son.
‘We’re super excited to bring Kinky Boots to our audiences as our next production,’ said Russell Langdown, director. ‘It’s a musical full of energy, humour, and heart. And it has a powerful message about acceptance and celebrating individuality. The incredible music, spectacular choreography, and vibrant characters make it an exciting challenge for our company. And one that we’re delighted to embrace. It’s exactly the kind of production that allows SALOS to continue pushing itself. All while delivering an unforgettable theatrical experience.’
SALOS Dons Kinky Boots – SALOS in rehearsal
About SALOS
SALOS: Musical Theatre Company, has, for decades, brought high-quality musical theatre to Swindon audiences since its 1951 formation.
Known for their energy, talent, and creativity, SALOS has wowed local theatre fans with past productions. They include: Evita,Shrek The Musical, The Sound Of Music, Oklahoma!. With a blend of classic favourites and modern hits, SALOS continues to showcase the very best of theatre and local talent in Swindon.
Fresh from its acclaimed West End revival, Kinky Boots is proving why it’s still one of the most uplifting musicals around. If the buzz has you wishing you’d seen it in London, now’s your chance. You can experience the magic much closer to home as SALOS bring this award-winning hit to the stage.
Kinky Boots is at the Wyvern Theatre from Wednesday 21 – Sunday 25 October 2026, with tickets available now!
New tickets are now on sale for guided tours at the Science and Innovation Park in Wroughton. The site is home to 80% of the Science Museum Group Collection.
One of the top things to do in Wiltshire, tour dates are available seven days a week through to December 2026. Plus, extra weekend tours added following strong demand.
Visitors can enjoy a unique day out this summer and go behind the scenes of one of the UK’s largest museum collections. There’s access to some of the 300,000 objects cared for at the site.
Thousands of people explored the Science and Innovation Park in Wiltshire through guided tours in the last year. And now even more visitors can experience the collection as new dates are now on sale through to December 2026.
The expert-led, 90-minute behind-the-scenes tours take visitors inside the Hawking Building. This state-of-the art storage facility is home to a vast collection of more than 300,000 scientific, technological and medical objects from the national collection. Visitors can discover how museum specialists care for and conserve these historic objects. All while enjoying stunning views of the purpose-built collections centre.
The Hawking Building
At almost 300 metres long and 90 metres wide, the Hawking Building is comparable in size to 600 double-decker buses. The purpose-built facility enables the Science Museum Group to:
store
conserve
research and …
… digitise its unique collection.
Within the 27,000m2 building are 30,000 metres of shelving. All providing a home for the tiniest and most delicate objects. All along with a further 5,500m2 of pallet racking and 3,500m2 of freestanding space, that holds some of the larger objects in the collection.
The building also houses conservation laboratories, photography studios, and specialist research spaces.
The Science and Innovation Park is also a major research resource. Researchers can apply to access objects from the collection – either in person or remotely – free of charge. They can also explore the Science Museum’s Library and Archive collection of over half a million items.
You can find more than half a million historic objects on the Science Museum Group’s online collection. It’s one of the world’s most extensive digital science collections in the world. Website visitors can discover these incredible objects and the stories behind them through:
