Swindon in the Past Lane

There was a fantastic response by local people to last night's Friends of Lydiard Park meeting. Some reports say 600 people others that more than 700 attended the public meeting at Lydiard Park Academy. It was difficult to tell. The start of the meeting was delayed as reports came through that cars were queued up outside the school as far as the roundabout at the top of Hay Lane and parking was becoming a problem. All seats were quickly filled as more chairs were brought out. People sat on benches and stood three and four deep around the edges of the sports hall. Speakers included Mike Bowden, Chair of the Friends of Lydiard Park; Friends trustee Sarah Finch Crisp, who worked as Keeper at Lydiard Park for 24 years and headed the Lydiard Park Project, an ambitious landscape restoration project funded by a £3.1 million Heritage Lottery Fund grant; Cllr Garry Perkins (Con Haydon Wick) Cabinet Member for Economy, Regeneration and Skills and Matthew Courtliff, prospective Labour c...

The Friends of Lydiard Park have organised a public meeting on Tuesday January 12, 2016 7pm at Lydiard Park Academy, Grange Park Way, Grange Park, Swindon, SN5 6HN. Time to have another look at The List, methinks! Lydiard House Unique selling point – scandal Tell the story of the St John family The links with the Tudors (perennially popular with children and adults alike) The Civil War story The Royal favourites and mistresses The cheating husbands and wives Henry, 1 st  Viscount St John - murderer Henry, 1 st  Viscount Bolingbroke – Queen Anne’s Secretary at War – traitor Links with the modern Royal Family Every period of history is accessible through the House and the St John family Improve PR and marketing: Ask the National Trust and Historic England (Head Offices in Swindon) to advise – there are teams available to do just that. Work with St Mary’s Church who are doing a fantastic PR job with guided tours and talks – visitor numb...

For those of you who may have missed this item, which appeared on the Swindon Advertiser website yesterday afternoon, SBC has agreed to debate the Lydiard House and Park issue at the next council meeting. 'There will be a debate surrounding the future of Lydiard House and Park at the next council meeting, despite a petition with 8,000 signatures not meeting the necessary requirements to trigger one. Swindon Borough Council are looking at leasing the popular site as a cost saving measure despite strong protests from residents. Thousands of people signed a petition calling for the move to be stopped, comfortably passing the 1,500 normally needed to trigger a debate at full council. However, the signatories need to live within the borough and because the petition, set up on Change.org could not prove this, it did not qualify. But Council Leader David Renard (Con, Haydon Wick) says he recognises the level of interest in the issue and a motion on the proposals will be tabled a...

Another date for your diary. West Swindon Localities Meeting - Monday, January 11 at The Link Centre. The agenda includes the proposed Wimpey development and Lydiard Park.

Public Meeting The Friends of Lydiard Park have organised a public meeting on Tuesday January 12, 2016 at 7pm. The venue is Lydiard Park Academy, Grange Park Way, Swindon SN5 6HN. Speakers will be from The Friends and councillors from both the Conservative and Labour groups. Please try to make the time to attend. We look forward to meeting many of you and hearing what YOU have to say. Behind Closed Doors events at Lydiard House beginning January 23. Don't forget to book! Sat 23rd Jan 2.30pm The Ladies of Lydiard - An entertaining tour with local historian Frances Bevan revealing the secrets and talents of Lydiard Ladies through the centuries. Wed 3rd Feb 2.30pm Wigs, Ruffs and Robes - Discover hidden stories behind the portraits of sumptuously dressed aristocrats with Lydiard House educationalist Nancy Heath. Sat 13th Feb 2.30pm Keeping Up Appearances - Frances Yeo, Curator of Lydiard House, shows how the Lydiard collection is cared for and demo...

Read all the latest news about events at Lydiard House and Park in the January edition of the Link magazine  available online now. Here is a taster ...

I wrote this article during the Christmas 2012 celebrations at Lydiard House and Park. Lydiard House was beautifully dressed for Christmas, busy and full of visitors.  This year I visited the day before Christmas Eve. With no Christmas programme the House was quiet and during my visit an electrician suddenly appeared unannounced and plunged the State Rooms into darkness. Now if I were a glass half empty type of person I could view this as prophetic, b ut I think the fortunes of Lydiard House and Park could easily be turned around without leasing it to a private partner. If, like me, you want to see Lydiard House busy again, its future and that of the park safe, secure and accessible to the people of Swindon, please sign the Friends of Lydiard Park petition and attend the public meeting on January 12. Meanwhile why not come to one of the talks and tours in the Behind Closed Doors event? For further details about the petition, meeting and events please visit the Friends of ...