Swindon (Wiltshire)
The ‘New’ town
of Swindon, developed as a result of the Great Western Railway establishing its
works there in the 1840s. There’s very little of architectural interest in the
town centre, the usual 1960s/70s shops and drab buildings, but the lion (ex-demolished
pub?) in the main street adds a bit of fun.
Buildings of
interest lie in and around the railway works. The Mechanics’ Institution of
1854/1892 is now in a very poor state and has been deteriorating for years. St.
Marks Church built in 1845 by Scott
& Moffatt in Decorated style was the works church.
The redevelopment
of the works site into a designer shopping outlet has reused some of the
original buildings, as has STEAM the museum of the GWR – well worth a visit.
