Swindon in the Past Lane

To the inexperienced eye the barn at Great Coxwell might appear big, but apparently as monastic barns go, it’s a bit on the small side.  Measuring 152 feet and 7 bays long, records reveal examples of others double that length. Situated along the Hollow Road, the medieval barn formed part of the monastic farm or grange belonging to Beaulieu Abbey.  Built in around 1300 the Cotswold rubble-stone walled barn with purlin roof is today admired for its architectural features.  But those medieval builders knew a thing or two about efficiency and everything was designed to make life just a little easier for both builders and the over worked agricultural labourer. The canny 14 th century architects sited the barn on a natural stony outcrop thereby avoiding the need to dig foundations and prolong building work.  The barn itself was constructed by a team of masons and carpenters.  The square holes in the walls, ‘putlog holes,’ supported the builders s...

Work continues apace on Princes Street at the Union Square development despite the recent snow and rain. Have a look how things are progressing and catch up on the history of Princes Street  on a previous Swindon in the Past Lane post. The Man with a Stick outside 19 Princes Street in 1953.  For the legendary MWAS series see  Swindon Local Studies  and for the whole story visit Swindon Heritage.

What's your idea of history? The Iron Age, the Tudors, the Victorians -  at least a hundred years ago, well maybe fifty?  For all you rock and roll fans the 80s definitely rank up there in the historical stakes now, I'm afraid. When Status Quo came to town in 1986 the Advertiser reported that their fans ‘delighted local residents with their impeccable behaviour.’ Although concert goers began arriving at the venue around 5.30 by 11 pm the park was silent with police praising the behaviour of the fans. The Quo played to 4,500 fans in the big top at Faringdon Road Park, the highlight of Allied Dunbar Arts Festival week in 1986. The legendary rock band already had a twenty year career behind them when they played on the former GWR Park in Swindon.  Their set list included perennial favourites such as Down, Down and Whatever You Want and their 1985 Live Aid concert opener Rockin’All Over the World. “What they lost on subtlety and finesse they gained on raw excitement...

What a difference a few months make.  For too long the dark empty windows of number 66-68 have stared out forlornly at the busy traffic along Commercial Road, but not any more.   Today the windows shine brightly with the arrival of the Prospect Charity Shop selling a wide range of good quality items from books to comfy sofas to curl up on and lamps to read them by. For more than thirty years the Prospect Hospice in Wroughton has provided specialist end of life care.  Today this service is also available at the Great Western Hospital and to people in their own homes. The Prospect Hospice is close to the hearts of the people of Swindon, particularly Swindon Society member Martin Vandervelde who has cycled many thousands of miles, raising more than £90,000 for the charity. Construction along Commercial Road dates from around 1890 with local builders Joseph Ponting, James Hinton, Charles Williams and Joseph Williams quickly getting in on the act. Today Co...

I've got snowy photographs of Lydiard House and Park and Radnor Street Cemetery so for a change I made my way through Shaw to Peatmoor and the lagoon. Deserted Roughmoor Way Narnia? Copse at Peatmoor Footpath off Roughmoor Way  Hongxin Oriental Buffet - formerly known as the Chinese Experience Pagoda on the island at Peatmoor Lagoon The old Cellular Operations building No school today - this sleigh train proved difficult to organise Brook Field School - closed Picture postcard views of Lower Shaw Farm Looking down Old Shaw Lane Looking up Old Shaw Lane To the shops Holy Trinity Church, Shaw Shaw Village Centre Ah - doesn't the snow look pretty! Hope it's soon gone.