Fleming Way Swindon Centre 1962-1965.
Running through the centre of Swindon, Fleming Way takes its name from one of Swindon’s greatest footballers: Harold John Fleming (1887-1955). Following the route of the then Wilts and Berks canal it begins at the junction with Milford Street and runs along to the Magic Roundabout and County Road. That marvelllous, Magimix of a traffic system sits in front of the County Ground football stadium where of course Harold’s feet performed footballing feats.
Canal Walk Town Centre – 1972.
Bringing us into modern Swindon and doing exactly as that famous Ronseal advert proclaims, Canal Walk in the heart of Swindon’s town centre, follows the route of where the Wilts & Berks canal once ran. It’s now a pedestrianised shopping area whose paving, if you stop and look, tells some of the history of this area’s backstory.
Faringdon Road Swindon – 1880s.
The time was when this stretch of road comprised two separate streets: Faringdon Road and Faringdon Street. They, along with Westcott Place and Fleet Street, were developed along an ancient track known as the Fleetway or Fleteway. Thus, where Fleet Street meets Bridge Street, in a nod to that long-gone track, a currently unoccupied commercial building bears the name Fleetway House.
Milton Road 1895.
If Commercial Road comprises part of the link between the new Swindon and the old, then Milton Road is the other part. It takes you down to Faringdon road, where, before you, is the GWR railway village.
Commercial Road 1888-1890.
Before I say anything much about Commercial Road and the area around it, it’s pertinent to say something about the Rolleston estate. This estate comprised areas of land lying, in particular, according to Mark Child, to the south, south-west and south east of the railway village. And they were key to the development of Swindon – in that they comprised a physical link between the new town and the old.
Old Shaw Lane West Swindon.
As I’ve said elsewhere, I have a tendency think of Old Shaw Lane as a little bit of Swindon’s yesteryear. But of course, it’s not. Because it wasn’t Swindon at all – Swindon as we know it now, didn’t exist over that side of town at all. But it’s a survivor of the 1980s western expansion development all around it and that’s one good reason for featuring it here.
Radnor Street Old Town: 1877. In the main, I’ve included Radnor Street within these Swindon in 25 Streets pages because of the presence upon it, of the iconic Radnor Street cemetery – it being a special and much-loved Swindon site. But more on that later.Â
Victoria Road Swindon. As with so much else in the 19th century, this link between the old and new Swindons takes its name from HRH Queen Victoria.
Kent Road Old Town – 1890-1910.
A street that served as the birthplace of that world-famous siren of stage and screen, Diana Dors, (aka Diana Fluck 1931-1984) comprised a ‘must include’ in this book for no other reason than that. I mean – Diana Dors – y’know? I grew up watching her on TV and in films. And I’m just a little star struck to now live in the town of her birth – so that on its own would have sufficed for me.  But anyway!
Prospect Place Old Town. Well Prospect Place and Prospect Hill to be precise. For the purposes of this piece I’ve lumped them together and I’m starting with Prospect Hill.
The Planks and Market Square Old Town.
I’m planning on arranging the Old Town section of the forthcoming Swindon in 25 Streets book in something of the order one might walk them. Hence: Before we walk along High Street and round onto Wood Street we’ll take a wee detour to Market Square and The Planks. As you can see from the map below, the Planks leads off from Market Square – from 1866 part of the walkway from Market Place was beside the Corn Exchange.
Little London Old Town, Swindon.
Back in 2010, historian Frances Bevan wrote for the Swindon Advertiser, how Old Town once enjoyed a level of depravity and notoriety. Not the whole of Old Town you understand – but a notorious, nefarious, neighbourhood of Swindon’s Old Town.Â
