These days a ubiquitous HMO, you’ll find what was the Ship Inn at 179 on the corner of Westcott Place, Birch Street, Park Lane and Faringdon Road, opposite the GWR park.
27. The Ship Inn 1847
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26. Radnor Street Chapel 1881
This entry in the blog’s Swindon in 50 More Buildings series features Radnor Street Chapel – and a little about the cemetery.
25. The Torin Building Swindon
The Torin Building Swindon – and there’s a reason that I’ve specified Swindon here. It’s because our Torin building has a sister building of sorts in Brussels, Belgium. And I’ll return to that later.
24. Sanford Street School
Swindon’s Sanford Street school for boys opened in 1881 with capacity for 794 boys. The building cost of £5 per child was in-line with the standard cost of infant schools at that time – but this one boasted a superior design. It’s reasonable to assume that the school’s designer, Brightwen Binyon, felt proud of it being as he published it in Building News in 1881.
23. No 24 Fleet Street 1902
No 24 Fleet Street is one of the buildings I mention in the New Swindon/town centre trail that I wrote in my Born Again Swindonian guidebook. The whole point of that trail – indeed the book – is to urge and encourage the reader to find the interest, the story – yes even the beauty – in the less obvious. It exhorts one to look up because so often that’s where you’ll find the aforementioned.
22. Churchward House 1841
Churchward House, now housing offices, originally served as the Great Western Railway’s drawing office. It’s named for George Jackson Churchward CBE ( 1857-1933). Churchward served as the GWR’s mechanical engineer from 1902-1922.
21. The Corn Exchange Old Town
With Swindon in 50 Buildings, I had to keep to a firm brief set by the publisher, Amberley. I had to stay central – nothing from the wider borough. And the buildings I wrote about had to be still standing – they couldn’t be ex-buildings. So in this series of Swindon in 50 More Buildings I’m redressing some of that. Ergo, though I haven’t yet, I will include at least a couple of buildings from the wider borough and, if only one, an ex-building. Namely, ,Old Town’s Corn Exchange aka the Locarno.
St Barnabas’ Church Murals
I’m not at all sure how the St Barnabas’ church murals came onto my radar. But onto it they came. Thus I felt compelled to include these astonishing paintings – and the church itself – in Swindon in 50 Buildings. While researching that book, myself and Royston Cartwright had a drive out to Gorse Hill – the location of St Barnabas to have a look. Sadly the church was closed but we got photos of it for the book.
20. Heelis NT HQ
I’ve had to neglect Swindon in 50 more buildings to make room for other projects. But a visit to STEAM and therefore a walk right past Heelis, prompted me to do a post about it.
SOS view on Oasis Listing
While the SOS campaign didn’t apply to have the Oasis listed, it has both supported and fought for its listing. Ergo, the campaign welcomes the 1 December 2021 decision to Grade II list the Oasis Dome and lagoon pool.
Oasis Refurb Plans Almost Welcome
Before I go any further let me stress that what follows is NOT an official Save Oasis Swindon campaign response to SevenCapital’s (7C) recent press release.
Important Development for SOS Campaign
This week, the SOS campaign saw an important development.
Right out of the blue Damien Siviter, part of SevenCapital’s executive team contacted the campaign, requesting a meeting. Thus, on Wednesday of this week, two campaign representatives, Tony Hillier and Neil Robinson headed to the Park Lane, London offices of the development company.
West Swindon – What the eye doesn’t see
Swindon In 50 Buildings
Swindon – A Born Again Swindonian’s Guide
Dona Bradley Architectural Illustrator
We Are Swindon
