Wiltshire

The county of Wiltshire in England has been the center of bacon since the 18th century.

Wiltshire became a bacon center by an accident of location. At that time many pigs were imported from Ireland and driven in droves from Bristol on the west coast of England to London. Calne in Wiltshire was a regular resting places for herds of swine and was thus assured of a constant supply of pigs for curing.

In the 1770's, John Harris set up the first commercial bacon processing plant in Wiltshire.

In the early part of the 19th century a method of curing pork by curing 1/2 pork sides in a brine curing solution became known as the "Wiltshire Cure". The "Wiltshire Cure" method produces a low salt sweet bacon that is sought after all over England.