1. Ferndale Road Swindon

1. Ferndale Road Swindon

Ferndale Road Swindon. Okay, I know, doesn’t sound too exciting a topic eh? But stay with me – it’s more interesting than it sounds. Honest! The reason for my interest in this long, long street is this: I’ve got a contract with Amberley Publishing to produce Swindon in 25 Streets by the back end of next year.

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50. Unity Place Zurich Building 2023

50. Unity Place Zurich Building 2023

Unity Place Zurich Building.

Hurrah! At LAST I’ve made it to No 50 in this Swindon in 50 More Buildings blog series. I began it back in the before times, in 2019, with this piece about the County Ground Hotel. But then the pandemic got in the way. And then a joint authorship of a book about West Swindon interfered. But at last I’m here. I have intention of turning these fifty blog posts into a physical book. With hopes that it doesn’t take me a further five years!

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Baptist School/Albion Club

Baptist School/Albion Club

The Baptist School Bridge Street represents a classic example of me not following my own advice of ‘looking up’. Because, when someone posted a picture of what you see below and asked if anyone knew where it was I had to plead ignorance. Despite it being a building I’ve walked past countless times.

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49. The Bothy at Burderop 1730s

49. The Bothy at Burderop 1730s

The Bothy at Burderop, in the walled garden that once belonged to Burderop Manor is going to make an unusual and terrific home. A simply delightful couple, Jules Gilleland and Mark Wheeler, are converting the bothy, and the walled garden in which it sits, into a home. See more about the bothy gardens and the couple’s plans for it here: https://swindonian.me/2024/08/30/introducing-bothy-gardens/

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45. The Burton Building Swindon 1931

45. The Burton Building Swindon 1931

I’m including the Burton building Swindon in this series for much the same reason as I’ve included 20 Fleet Street – the YMCA building. That reason being to record a fine building (another one) going to waste and dereliction.

Otherwise known as 24-25 Bridge Street, AJ Colborne built it for Montague Burton Ltd and the Lucania Temperance billiard hall. Begun in 1929, 1931 saw it completed.

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42. Inglesham Church 13th Century

42. Inglesham Church 13th Century

Inglesham Church, aka The Church of St John the Baptist, is the second of a trio of 13th century churches that I’m including in this Swindon in 50 More Buildings series. Not that they’re in any particular order, but the first of them is the church of St Michael and All The Angels in Highworth. The third one will focus on St Mary’s church in Rodbourne Cheney but in this post we’re going to Inglesham.

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41. St Michael’s Church Highworth 13th C

41. St Michael’s Church Highworth 13th C

St Michael’s church Highworth, or to give it its full title, St Michael’s & All Angel’s Church lays claim to being the only 13th century church in the borough of Swindon. So the church’s website states. But St Mary’s at Rodbourne Cheney is 13th century, as the British listed buildings website states. And so too is is the church of St John the Baptist in Inglesham. So that’s a trio of 13th century churches in the borough that I know to. Are there more?

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West Swindon – What the eye doesn’t see

Swindon – A Born Again Swindonian’s Guide

Dona Bradley Architectural Illustrator

https://dona-b-drawings.co.uk/?ref=zulDs2fHXqWHq

We Are Swindon