Christ Church Cottages / Anderson’s Hostel – 27-30 Cricklade Road
Anderson’s Almshouses Old Town Now known as Anderson’s hostel, Anderson’s almshouses in Old Town – on Cricklade Street to be precise – were built thanks to a bequest by one Alexander Anderson in 1865. He made his bequest of £1, 636 for the benefit of the poor.
Born in Scotland in 1808, Alexander Anderson died a Swindonian in 1874, leaving a bequest to build almshouses right by the Christ Church graveyard.
The architect was William Henry Read of Swindon and the builder, Thomas Barrett of Newport Street. They demolished some ancient thatched cottages on the site to make way for their project.
The gothic style
The houses comprise four bays – single storey and attic in the first instance. In Gothic style they have braced decorative bargeboards on the gables. There’s an inset plaque on Cricklade Street detailing the bequest.
Anderson’s Almshouses Old Town – plaque on cricklade street
Each of the four houses comprised a living room and pantry on the ground floor with a bedroom above. The commemorative plaque on the houses bears the date 1877.
To be eligible to apply for accommodation in the houses you had to be either a single or married woman, aged over 60 and resident in Swindon over three years. You also couldn’t be in receipt of poor relief. Those running the houses gave preference to those ‘reduced by misfortune from better circumstances.’
The residents of houses No 1 and No 2 received small weekly pensions from John Chandler, a Wood Street draper. Then, in 1897, one gave £100 to provide a pension for the inmate of No 3.
Anderson’s Hostel
By 1906, Anderson’s institution had become known as a “Hostel“. In in that year, Swindon’s charities became united under a Scheme of the Charity Commissioners.
By 1903 all four residents were women. In 1962 the charities had an annual income of £110 and only residents in the ancient parish of Swindon could benefit.
On the list
The British Listed Building’s website gives the following information about the listing for Anderson’s Hostel in Swindon:
Listing date: 17th February 1970 Grade II Source ID: 1283745 English Heritage Legacy ID: 318721
1993 saw internal remodelling of the almshouses into self-contained flats for the elderly winning a Thamesdown Borough Council’s Conservation and Design Award. If you zoom in on the image above of the stone plaque you can see a smaller blue/white plaque in the top left corner denoting this award.
‘In the glum, economically testing times of the early Seventies it seemed like a dream. A ray of extravagant, faraway sunshine that had contrived to pierce a doom-clouded era of strikes, the oil crisis and a three-day week to illuminate an unlikely corner of North Wiltshire.’ He goes on to describe how the bulbous, £170,000, see-through glazed centrepiece of the three-storey play Mecca came from the USA – was lauded as ‘the biggest leisure dome in Europe.’
Symbiotic relationship
All elements of the Oasis combined to meet the description of a fertile spot in a desert where you find water. The desert part being the urban sprawl in which it sits.
So, the much-loved dome let sunshine stream in and blue skies canopy bathers, giving them a sense of being outside. And all this decades before Center Parcs came our way.
Aside from the dome itself, what made the eponymous leisure pool so famous and so worthy of its name was the carefully planned, tropical themed interior – right down to real banana plants and the Ken White mural you see below, It all combined to create a totally tropical paradise experience.
The other factor making this pool special is its accessibility. The Oasis is not only the only leisure/fun pool for MILES – the nearest being Bracknell – it’s also the only fully accessible facility for children and those with mobility issues. Its lagoon shape, that you can simply walk into as you’d walk into the sea itself, is perfect for families and the less mobile. There is nothing else like it in Swindon – or for miles around.
Award winning
In 1976 the American National Swimming Pool Institute awarded the Oasis an Oscar of the swimming pool world. They bestowed a gold medal on it and hailed it as the world’s top residential pool of 1976! Wow!
What’s more, following the later addition of the domebuster water chutes (I burst my eardrum on those – never been right since) the Oasis became, for a while, Wiltshire’s biggest attraction! Yep – as Barry Leighton exclaimed: Bigger than Stonehenge!
Key Architectural Facts:
Structural System, space frame Architect, F Gillinson Barnett & Partners Year of construction, 1975
Those dry details to one side, it’s rumoured that one Noel Gallagher took inspiration from our Oasis for his … The story goes as follows: Back in 1991, Noel Gallagher visited Swindon while working as a roadie for an indie band, Inspiral Carpets. Brother Liam, along for the gig, found himself drawn to the name Oasis as a new name for their band then called The Rain. Though not at once enamoured with the idea, Noel came round and Oasis they became. At length. Thus, as this piece from The Guardian states, Swindon’s Oasis pleasure dome earned a footnote in pop history – circa 1991.
The last of a typology
Architect Robert Guy tells how the Oasis is one of the last remaining leisure pools designed by Gillinson Barnet & Partners of Leeds. Further it’s the last remaining example of a leisure pool from the 70s- all others have been demolished or much changed.
*It also happens to be the best example that embodies the aims of the originators and is unique in its form.
Guy himself visited the Oasis in 1978 as an undergraduate. A visit that set him off on his own career in leisure architecture. He went on to design Coral Reef at Bracknell.
Mr Guy tells too of how the dome is a feature of the design and forerunner of buildings such as The Great Glass House at the National Botanical Garden of Wales in Carmarthenshire, Wales by Foster Associates. And that It also fits into a much larger context of historic domed buildings including the Leeds Corn Exchange, The Devonshire Dome, now at the University of Derby at Buxton and the Royal Albert Hall.
* If this building is not retained then the whole building type will have disappeared. Demolishing the Oasis will be akin to killing the last butterfly.
Okay – so that’s a bit of exaggeration. But it WILL be cultural vandalism.
‘ …. The Oasis is the most innovative of 20th-century public structures offered in the town AND county. The dome part of the building was the 3rd of its kind built in the UK and at the time was the largest dome in Europe.
The design screams the influence of Pierre Luigi Nervi’s iconic Palazzetto Dello Sport.
Regardless of architectural significance, the leisure centre’s cultural significance is big.
It represents everything about this period in Britain, at a time when Swindon was a key player in providing overspill space for London. These new-town communities were attractive prospects for new families. In 1974, the build of the Oasis was slap-bang between the 50s/ 60s expansion to the east of the town and the 70s/80s expansion to the west.
The Oasis provided exciting leisure facilities for a rapidly growing audience made up of families, where many enjoyed a tropical paradise within an industrial urban town … ‘
Somewhat related to all that is this piece on the blog:
For sure it’s an iconic building and one that I wanted to put into Swindon in 50 Buildings but couldn’t find the room for it. Thus it had an assured place in this blog series. It’s second only to the David Murray John Toweras saying ‘Swindon’.
Like so many buildings in Swindon a Ken White mural of a desert theme once graced it. That ended up being painted over when tanking works to protect the concrete from humidity took place.
Ken White taken by Richard Wintle of Calyx MediaThe Oasis dome shining in the sun – photo by We Are Swindon
‘ … It is the last major work of architectural partnership of Gillinson Barnett and Partners (GBP), where Peter Sargent and Clifford Barnett were senior partners, the pre-eminent designers of leisure centres during this period.
At Swindon a large free form pool was enclosed by a 45-metre dome (the largest of its type in Europe) composed of an aluminium frame with transparent PVC panels.
The RIBA Guides to Modern Architecture described it as a ‘fantasy structure, its half-submerged dome resembling a flying-saucer.’
The Oasis is separated into a ‘wet side’, containing leisure pools and extensive waterslides, and ‘dry side’ for sports and recreation activities, the two being connected by the changing rooms, entrance hall and restaurant.’
Here we are with a Swindon festival update. The spring festival of the last two years has had to revert to being the Swindon Festival of Literature. Swindon celebrated that most marvellous annual event for over twenty-five years.
Of course, this switch is due to restrictions imposed to stop the spread of Covid19. The resultant curtailment of live arts activities, plus related funding cuts has rendered the new style spring festival impossible this year.
So, in 2021, we’ve scheduled the literature festival to take place from 3rd to 9th May. It will start with the customary dawn chorus at 5.30am in Lawn Woods on Bank Holiday Monday the 3rd May.
Festival Director Matt Holland said, ‘It’s an ill wind that has blown some good. Covid19 has made us think hard. It’s forced decisive action to ensure an annual spring festival in Swindon celebrating literature and the arts survives.’
I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.
Jimmy Dean
He added, ‘As a written and spoken word-based activity, Literature lends itself to successful presentation in a variety ways. For example:
* author interviews and * discussions and workshops
All work well live, in theatres and libraries, but can also be tailor-made to work online. This means that, whatever restrictions continue into spring a Swindon festival of literature can happen in a three-tier blended fashion.’
He further explains that the best case scenario would be live events in the Arts Centre, Library, Town Hall, Bowl, Lydiard Park, and at Lower Shaw Farm.
Contingency plans
But if, because of the continued need for social distancing, live indoor and outdoor events are not possible, then most festival events will transfer online with ease. Festival organisers can then present them either in real time or as recordings. In other words, one way or another, there will be a Festival of Literature in Swindon in May.’
Already lined up is an exciting array of authors and performers keen to appear at the Festival.
Find out more
For further information , to go on the Festival mailing list, or to suggest authors and performers, contact swindonlitfest@lowershawfarm.co.uk or telephone 01793 771080.
DANCING SISTERS CREATE TIKTOK SENSATION Two teachers from Swindon’s Revolution Performing Arts, have caused a social media sensation with their version of the dance routine for pop star Harry Styles’ new single Treat People With Kindness.
You’ll usually find sisters Jessi and Jade Carroll, from West Swindon teaching others to dance. But they recently decided to replicate the dance routine of one of Jessi’s heroes Harry Styles – erstwhile member of One Direction. Their video of them performing the routine in their back garden has currently had more than 1.3 million views. Thus these dancing sisters create TIKTOK sensation.
Jessi (23) said: ‘The 16 year old 1D fan in me burst out. Harry Styles + dance is the dream combination. Jade and I learnt the choreography within a few hours of the video release.’
Her sister Jade (28) worked with her. They practiced the routine in their garden before putting it on the social media platform Tik Tok.
Taken by surprise
“We didn’t think much of it. It was something to do, it was fun and kept us entertained during lockdown,” Jade said. “We went to bed and by the morning we couldn’t believe that the video had racked up more than 200,000 views.’
Jessi said: “We made this video for fun. We did not expect it to get so many views/likes/comments in such a short space of time. A lot of comments came from people requesting a tutorial. So we recorded and uploaded some tutorial videos breaking down the choreography. Everyone was so supportive and grateful. It’s amazing to see so many people express themselves through dance, experienced or not.”
Delirious for dance
Jade and Jessi are both dance crazy. They both attended New College before going on to study BA Hons in Dance at university. And today they are professional teachers with Revolution Performing Arts.
Both Jessi and Jade have found dancing has saved their sanity during this last year.
“Everyone can enjoy dance. In their bedrooms or in their gardens. Dance makes you move, have fun and, like so many of the arts, it’s a welcome, healthy distraction from current restrictions and worries,” Jade said.
RPA founder Fi Da Silva Adams said: “It’s been brilliant to see Jessi and Jade do something so positive during lockdown. And it’s no surprise. Like all our teachers, they’ve been running online classes, encouraging our students to get moving and have fun.
Currently Jade, who has thirteen years’ experience of dance and has worked with RPA for two years, is teaching dance classes online six days a week during lockdown. That alongside her part-time job at Nationwide. Jessi is also teaching online as well as working in her full-time role as an ASC Learning Support Assistant at The Ridgeway School.
Revolution Performing Arts
Revolution Performing Arts came into being in 2007. The team have been running online sessions throughout all lockdowns.
When allowed, they run sessions in after school clubs and classes in other community venues. All their teachers are DBS checked, trained in first aid and receive training in safeguarding protocols.
RPA specialises in empowering young people to celebrate their individuality through the power of performing arts.
The Southbrook Inn Swindon – with thanks as ever to my chum Chris Eley for his photographic expeditions.
The Southbrook Inn Swindon My regular guest blogger, Rebecca Davies, sent me a charming account of an older couple she once visited in Ferndale. It’s a lovely story, well worth a read and it’s further down in this post.
But, as Ferndale is her story’s setting, I decided to tie it in with a Swindon in 50 More Buildings post. One that centres on the Southbrook Inn Swindon. And that happens to be in Ferndale.
About the Southbrook Inn
In this Swindon Advertiser guide to Ferndaleyou’ll find mention of the Southbrook Inn. The pub, now a Grade II listed building, had a former life as the Southbrook farmhouse. And in that existence it was the only building in the area. It’s hard to imagine now isn’t it? That what we know as Swindon once was green fields and not much else.
In 1908, Swindon’s expansion brought the farm, and the land surrounding it, into the borough. 1956 saw the farmhouse converted into a pub with the transfer of the license from the Golden Lion on Bridge Street which had closed that same year.
Says Frances: ‘When the property came up for sale in 1763 Thomas Goddard, Lord of the Manor of Swindon, was ready to sign on the dotted line.Having informed his attorney, Mr Thomas Athawes, that he was ‘very well satisfied with the Title of Southbrook Farm …
… In 1898 Fitzroy Pleydell Goddard sold part of the land to builder William Hobbs, heralding the end of the farming at Southbrook. However despite the continuing development at Gorse Hill north of the railway line, Southbrook Farm retained its buffer of open fields into the 20th century.’
The above are small extracts from Frances’ blog. DO follow the link above to Frances’ blog for the whole Southbrook story.
A bit about Ferndale
Before I move on to Rebecca’s lovely story some Ferndale facts. ‘The area became known as Ferndale after the building of Ferndale Road. Today that runs all the way from Gorse Hill to Cheney Manor. But in Victorian times the road was considerably shorter. All of this changed in 1902 after the building contractor Edwin Bradley began to construct houses along the road.‘
1908 saw the consecretion of All Saints Church, in Southbrook Street. The first building was a temporary one designed for use as schoolrooms.
During the Second World War, enemy bombs hit Ferndale killing twenty-five people in the area. The church held several funerals for those killed in the bombings.
A Swindon Story by Rececca Davies Bsc. (Hons).
This is an account of an elderly couple I once met in Swindon. This must have been in about the middle 90s? I do not recall the exact year. It was some years ago but not a very long time ago. At least it seems so to me. I will admit I have a limited sense of time.
I was delivering something to a Swindon address though what or why evades me. The subjects of my delivery duty were a retired couple. Pleased to see me they invited me in for a cuppa.
Their house was a small one. I do not know which street it was in. It may have been one of those small cul-de-sacs off of Ferndale road. But I am not sure – though I can visualise it even now. It was one of those Victorian terraced houses. You know the sort. They have a front door that takes you straight into the living room. Inside there is an open staircase up to the first floor and the kitchen out the back. If you’ve seen that sort of house you will know what I mean.
A room full of memories
Inside this living room was full of knick knacks. Hanging on the walls, covering the shelves and sideboard and placed on the edge of the stairs. Plates, ornaments, cups, mats, a wide selection of stuff.
It must have been a nightmare to dust. And they were all holiday souvenirs from all over the world. Central Europe, Australia, South America, Hawaii, China, Kenya. You name it – they had a souvenir from it.
Curiosity got the better of me
I wondered if they were someone connected with the big liners, like my Great Uncle Sid. Though I didn’t get the impression of either enough money or of then being globetrotters. My imagination went into overdrive. So it was no good – I had to ask them about it.
It turned out that they had indeed never been abroad. Though yes, they did get their eclectic collection of souvenirs themselves.
It had been their habit to take a weekend trip to the city every month. Each time they spent a weekend in London they visited a different ethnic area. They knew where the obscure ones were too – often in a single cul-de-sac. Though where they got the information on how to locate these places I didn’t find out. Bear in mind I visited pre-internet days – and they had made their journeys before even then.
They met the people and sampled the food and took home to Swindon a souvenir of their adventures. And in doing so they explored the entire world.
London – and then the world
London, like all great cities, has always been an international city. Roman London must have seemed astoundingly multicultural to the rural dwelling Briton. And the city of today is, of course, famed for its diversity. But as for using this attribute for global exploration…well, why not? I’m sure many people have done as my nameless couple did.
The chap did not specify but I suspect he was ex-railway – this is Swindon after all. Both my father and grandfather were in the Works. So he must have had a BR rail pass which would have helped with the travel expenses.
I felt so moved and impressed by their tale – as you might imagine. I asked them if they were going to write a book about their adventures. Or at the very least, they could write a London guide of unsurpassed originality and interest. (Not to mention utility). Yet they regarded their explorations as nothing out of the ordinary at all. This saddened me very much, but I said nothing.
They took their adventures to their grave. But I remember their story and am telling you it now.
