Swindonian Blog Posts
Swindon news, views, history and culture
David Bent – reaches for the sky
20th August 2015 [jetpack_subscription_form] David Bent Aviation Artist Among other things! Hello listeners! As you no doubt know, I never need much of an excuse to shout-out about anything and anyone in Swindon. Nor to give older posts a refresh. So here's not one...
Charlotte Corday Statue Swindon
This post is by way of a share of an article from Barry Leighton of the Swindon Advertiser about the Charlotte Corday statue in Swindon’s town hall.
It’s a fabulous story that concerns the several-years-long and on-off search for ‘the magnificent sculpture of ‘The Angel of Assassination’ which was, as Barry explains ‘stumbled upon quite by accident’.
The ugliest town in England? Really?
Swindon hits the headlines of the nationals – and yet again it’s an insult.
Beauty is only skin deep – and it lies in the eye of the beholder. You may have to dig but it’s there. Okay. There can’t be many of us by now that have missed the recent press coverage by The Telegraph and the Independent of Swindon’s bid to ‘become Britain’s new cultural magnet’ (The Telegraph.)
10 things to celebrate about Swindon
Back in 2013, when I conceived this blog, my starting point was 10 things to celebrate about Swindon.
his was a non-definitive list, in no particular order, of things that I felt worth shouting about. The list encompassed parks, public art, artists, museums and even the buses. Though, TBH, I’ve changed my mind about the buses. (2020)
Queen’s Park in Swindon
If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.” So said Frances Hodgson Burnett, author of children’s classic, The Secret Garden.
Well, be that as it may we can easily say that the whole of Swindon is a garden. Or a park or green space at any rate – given that here in Swindon we are astonishingly well-blessed with leafy and open spaces. It is quite astonishing when you stop to think about it. You can read about some of them here: https://swindonian.me/category/parks-and-open-spaces/
Coate Water Miniature Railway Swindon
August 2015
Hurrah!! After twenty-two years in Swindon I made it to the miniature railway at Coate Water. It was great. And when the extension is finished and it runs all the way to the Richard Jefferies museum it will be even more wicked! As the nearly-two-year-old I was with said “Choo choo’:
Harold Starr – one of The Few
Harold Starr was born on September 8,1914. He was the fifth of six children born to Ellen and Morley Starr. He grew up in the Central Temperance Hotel in Regent Street (now the site of the Savoy – there are blue plaques there commemorating the Starr Brothers) where his mother was proprietor and his father worked as as shop fitter.
Swindon Remembers Harold Starr
Swindon remembers Harold Starr.
Born: 8th September 1914. Died: 31st August 1940. Killed by enemy fire after bailing out of his stricken aircraft only a few days before his 26th birthday: one of The Few.
Richard Jefferies Old Town Walk Part 2
Gosh. I can’t believe it’s been so long. But you all know how it is listeners. Life, business, etc – it all gets in the way sometimes. Gah! Anyway here we are the Richard Jefferies Old Town walk part 2.
Back in March – blimey – I published part one of two planned posts about the Richard Jefferies Old Town walk.
The Wish Hounds Sculpture
THE tradition of the Midnight Hunter and his headless hounds–always, in Cornwall, associated with Tregeagle–prevails everywhere. Whether the slice of mythology and folklore below is the inspiration for Swindon’s fantastical Wish Hounds sculpture I’ve no idea. But they’ve always intrigued me.
Swindon in 50 more buildings
West Swindon – What the eye doesn’t see
Swindon – A Born Again Swindonian’s Guide
We Are Swindon
