Swindon 59908 225680935 2008-07-14T21:39:55Z Wednesday Next 6155041 /* In music */ remove trivial references {{infobox UK place | country = England | static_image = | static_image_caption = | official_name = Swindon | population = 155,432 | unitary_england = [[Swindon (borough)|Swindon]] | lieutenancy_england = [[Wiltshire]] | region = South West England | constituency_westminster = [[North Swindon (UK Parliament constituency)|North Swindon]] | constituency_westminster1= [[South Swindon (UK Parliament constituency)|South Swindon]] | post_town = SWINDON | postcode_district = SN1-6, SN25, SN26 | postcode_area = SN | dial_code = 01793 | os_grid_reference = SU152842 | london_distance = 81mi | latitude = 51.558333 | longitude = -1.7811111 }} {{otherplaces}} '''Swindon''' ({{Audio|en-uk-Swindon.ogg|pronunciation}}) is a large town in [[Wiltshire]] in the [[South West England|South West]] of [[England]], midway between [[Bristol]] (64 km / 40 miles west) and [[Reading, Berkshire|Reading]] (64 km / 40 miles east). [[London]] is 130 km / 81 miles east. It is on the rail line between London and Bristol, and has one [[Swindon railway station|railway station]]. It is in the [[borough of Swindon]], which has been a [[unitary authority]] independent of Wiltshire since 1997. A resident of Swindon is known as a [[Swindonian]]. Swindon's [[motto]] is ''"Salubritas et Industria"'' (Health and Industry). Swindon was named an Expanded Town under the Town Development Act 1952 and this led to a major increase in its population.<ref name="pop">{{Cite web|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/data_cube_table_page.jsp?data_theme=T_POP&data_cube=N_TPop&u_id=10104178&c_id=10001043&add=N|title=Swindon: Total Population|accessdate=2007-01-09|publisher=A Vision of Britain through time|author=Great Britain Historical GIS Project}}</ref> In the 2001 census the population of the Swindon urban area was 155,432, whilst around 184,000 lived in the [[Swindon (borough)|Borough]], which includes the satellite towns of [[Highworth]] and [[Wroughton]]. ==History== {{main|History of Swindon}} ===Etymology=== The original [[Saxon people|saxon]] settlement of Swindon sat in a defensible position atop a limestone hill. It is referred to in the [[Domesday Book]] as ''Suindune'', believed to be derived from the [[Old English language|Anglo-Saxon]] words ''swine'' and ''dun'' meaning 'pig hill', or possibly 'Sweyn's hill', where Sweyn would be the local landlord. ===Industrial Revolution=== Swindon was a small market town, mainly for [[barter|barter trade]], until the mid-1800s. This original market area is on top of the hill in central Swindon, now known as Old Town. The [[industrial revolution]] was responsible for an acceleration of Swindon's growth. It started with the construction of the [[Wilts and Berks Canal]] in 1810 and the North Wilts canal in 1819. The canals brought trade to the area, and Swindon's population started to grow. [[Image:Swindon-DMJ-tower-from-rec.jpg|thumb|right|[[History of government in Swindon#David Murray John|David Murray John]] tower, seen from the Westcott Rec.]] ===Railway town=== In 1840, [[Isambard Kingdom Brunel]] chose Swindon as the site for the [[Swindon railway works|railway works]] he planned for the [[Great Western Railway]]. Eastwards towards [[London]] the line was gently graded, while westwards there was a steep descent towards [[Bath, Somerset|Bath]]. Swindon was the junction for the proposed line to [[Gloucester]]. Swindon [[Swindon railway station|Junction station]] opened in 1842 and until 1895 every train stopped for at least 10 minutes to change locomotives. As a result, the station hosted the first recorded railway refreshment rooms. There were three [[Floor|storeys]] to the station in 1842, with the refreshment rooms on the ground floor, he upper floors housing the station hotel and lounge. That building was demolished in 1972, replaced by an office building with a single-[[Floor|storey]] modern station under it. The town's railway works were completed in 1842. The [[Great Western Railway|GWR]] built a small railway 'village' to house some of its workers. People still live in the those houses and several of the buildings that made up the railway works remain, although many are vacant. The [[Swindon Steam Railway Museum|Steam Railway Museum]] now occupies part of the old works. In the village were the [[Great Western Railway|GWR]] Medical Fund Clinic at Park House and its hospital, both on Faringdon Road and 1892's Health Centre in Milton Road &ndash; which housed clinics, a pharmacy, laundries, baths, Turkish baths and swimming pools &ndash; was almost opposite. From 1871, [[Great Western Railway|GWR]] workers each week had a small amount deducted from their pay and put into a fund &ndash; its doctors could prescribe them or their family members free medicines or send them for medical treatments. In 1878 the fund began providing artificial limbs made by craftsmen from the carriage and wagon works, and nine years later opened its first dental surgery. In his first few months in post the dentist removed more than 2,000 teeth. From the opening in 1892 of the Health Centre, a doctor could also prescribe a hair cut or even a bath. The cradle-to-grave extent of this service was later used as a blueprint for the [[National Health Service|NHS]].<ref>[http://www.swindonweb.com/guid/herinhs0.htm/ ''From Cradle to Grave'', SwindonWeb].Retrieved on [2007-07-23].</ref><ref>[http://www.new-mechanics.com/history/background.htm/ ‘’Background’’ &ndash; New Mechanics Institution Preservation Society]. Retrieved on 2007-07-23.</ref> The Mechanics Institute, formed in 1844, moved into a building, looking not unlike a church although including a covered market, on [[May 1]] [[1855]]. The New Swindon Improvement Company, a co-operative, raised the funds for this cathedral to self-improvement, and paid the GWR £40 a year its new home for its commanding site at the heart of the railway village. It was a ground-breaking organisation that transformed the railway's workforce into some of the country's best-educated manual workers.<ref>[http://www.new-mechanics.com/history/1850.htm/ ''1850'' &ndash; New Mechanics Institution Preservation Trust, Swindon]. Retrieved on [[2007-07-23]].</ref> Some claim that [[Great Western Railway|GWR]] Chief Engineer Daniel Gooch had got the railway to fund the Institute<ref>[http://swindonweb.com/guid/peopgooc0.htm/ Daniel Gooch - ''The Father of Swindon Works'', SwindonWeb]. Retrieved on [[2007-07-23]].</ref> It offered the aspiring poor the [[United Kingdom|UK]]'s first lending library,<ref>[http://www.new-mechanics.com/history/background.htm/ ''Background'' &ndash; New Mechanics Institution Preservation Trust, Swindon].Retrieved on [[2007-07-23]].</ref> and a range of improving lectures, access to a theatre and worthy pastimes from ambulance classes to xylophone lessons. A former Institute secretary formed the New Swindon Co-operative Society in 1853, which, after a schism in the society's membership, spawned the New Swindon Industrial Society that ran a retail business from a stall in the market at the Institute. The Institute also nurtured pioneering trades unionists and encouraged local democracy.<ref>[http://www.new-mechanics.com/ ''This is Our Heritage'' - 1996 lecture by Swindon labour movement historian Trevor Cockbill]. Retrieved on 2007-07-23.</ref> When tuberculosis hit the new town, the Mechanics’ Institute helped the industrial pioneers of north Wiltshire agree that the railway’s former employees should continue to receive medical attention from the doctors of [[Great Western Railway|GWR]] Medical Society Fund, which the Institute had played a role in establishing and funding.<ref>[http://www.new-mechanics.com/history/background.htm/ ''Background'' &ndash; New Mechanics Institution Preservation Society].Retrieved [[2007-07-23]].</ref> Swindon’s ‘other’ railway, the Swindon, Marlborough & Andover Railway merged with the Swindon and Cheltenham Extension Railway to form the [[Midland & South Western Junction Railway]], which set out to join the [[London & South Western Railway]] with the [[Midland Railway]] at Cheltenham. The Swindon, Marlborough & Andover had planned to tunnel under the hill on which Swindon’s Old Town stands but the money ran out, and the railway ran into [[Swindon Town railway station|Swindon Town station]], off Devizes Road in the Old Town, skirting the new town to the west, intersecting with the [[Great Western Railway|GWR]] at [[Rushey Platt railway station|Rushey Platt]] and heading north for [[Cirencester]], [[Cheltenham]] and the [[London, Midland and Scottish Railway|LMS]], whose 'Midland Red' livery the M&SWJR adopted. During the second half of the 19th century Swindon New Town grew around the main line between London and Bristol. The Old Town, the original market town, merged with its newer neighbour at the bottom of the hill to become a single ''Swindon''. ===20th century=== On [[1 July]] [[1923]] the GWR took over the largely single-track M&SWJR and the line northwards from Swindon Town was diverted to [[Swindon railway station|Swindon Junction]] station, leaving the Town station with only the line south to Andover and Salisbury<ref>[http://www.swindonsotherrailway.co.uk/his.html/ ''Swindon's Other Railway'' - the Swindon, Marlborough & Andover Railway]. Retrieved on [[2007-07-23]].</ref><ref>[http://glostransporthistory.visit-gloucestershire.co.uk/RR%20MidSWJR.htm/ ''The Midland & South Western Junction Railway'', Railspot Reloaded].Retrieved on [[2007-07-23]].</ref><ref>[http://www.steampicturelibrary.com/pictures_447348/Swindon-Town-Station-c1920.html/ ''GWR Museum'' picture gallery].Retrieved on [[2007-07-23]]</ref> The last passenger trains on what had been the SM&A ran on [[10 September]] [[1961]], 80 years after the railway's first stretch opened. During the first half of the 20th century the railway works was the town's largest employer and one of the biggest in the country, employing more than 14,500 workers. The works' decline started in 1960, when it rolled out the [[BR standard class 9F 92220 Evening Star|''Evening Star'']], the last steam engine to be built in the [[United Kingdom|UK]]<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A15849868/ ''Evening Star - Steam Locomotive'', BBC, 29 November 2006].Retrieved on [[2007-07-21]].</ref> The works lost its loco building role and took on rolling stock maintenance for [[British Rail]]. In the late 1970s much of the works closed, and the rest followed in 1986. ===21st century=== In 2001 construction commenced on [[Priory Vale]], the third and final instalment in Swindon's 'Northern Expansion' project, which began with Abbey Meads and continued at St Andrew's Ridge. In 2002 the New Swindon Company was formed with the remit to regenerate the town centre,<ref>[http://www.newswindon.co.uk New Swindon - Welcome to New Swindon<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> reflecting Swindon's regional status. In February 2008 The Times named Swindon as one of "The 20 best places to buy a property in Britain" <ref>[http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/buying_and_selling/article3327954.ece The 20 best places to buy a property in Britain - Times Online<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>. Notably, In the list, only [[Warrington]] had a lower ratio of house prices to household income in 2007, with the average household income in Swindon being among the highest in the country. ==Geography and climate== {{See also|List of places in Swindon}} [[Image:Swindonmap 1933.jpg|thumb|right|A map of Swindon from 1933]] The town has a total area of approximately 40 [[square kilometre|km²]] (25.33 [[square mile|mi²]]). Swindon has a [[temperate]] climate, with roughly equal length winters and summers. The landscape is dominated by the chalk hills of the Wiltshire Downs to the south and east. * ({{coor dms|51|33|51|N|1|46|15|W|}}) * {{gbmapping|SU150850}} * Nearby towns and cities: [[Calne]], [[Chippenham, Wiltshire|Chippenham]], [[Wootton Bassett]], [[Cirencester]], [[Cricklade]], [[Highworth]], [[Marlborough, Wiltshire|Marlborough]] * Nearby villages: [[Aldbourne]], [[Blunsdon]], [[Chiseldon]], [[Hook, Wiltshire|Hook]], [[Lambourn]], [[Liddington]], [[Lydiard Millicent]], [[Purton]], [[Ramsbury]], [[Wanborough, Wiltshire|Wanborough]], [[Wroughton]] * Nearby places of interest: [[Avebury]], [[Barbury Castle]], [[Crofton Pumping Station]], [[Silbury Hill]], [[Stonehenge]], [[Uffington White Horse]] * [[Sites of Special Scientific Interest]] in Swindon include - [[Coate Water]], [[Great Quarry, Swindon|Great Quarry]], [[Haydon Meadow]], [[Okus Quarry]] and [[Old Town Railway Cutting, Swindon|Old Town Railway Cutting]]. == Government == [[Image:swindon.train.arp.750pix.jpg|thumb|right|A Swindon-built locomotive (Hagley Hall) on display in the eating area of the McArthur Glen Designer Outlet, Swindon.]] {{see|History of government in Swindon}} The local council was created in 1974 as the Borough of Thamesdown, out of Swindon Borough and Highworth Rural Councils. It was not initially called Swindon, because the borough covers a larger area than the town and encompasses villages and land. It was eventually renamed to Borough of Swindon in 1997, however. The borough became a [[unitary authority]] on [[1 April]] [[1998]], following a review by [[Local Government Commission for England (1992)|Local Government Commission for England]]. The town is therefore no longer under the auspices of Wiltshire County Council. The executive comprises a leader (Cllr Rod Bluh), and a cabinet made up from the Conservative Group. The makeup of the council is [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] 43 councillors, [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] 12, [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrat]] 3 and 1 (previously Labour) independent. Swindon is represented in the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|national parliament]] by two MPs. [[Anne Snelgrove]] (Labour) was elected for the [[South Swindon]] seat in 2005, and [[Michael Wills]], also Labour, has represented [[North Swindon]] since 1997. Prior to 1997, there was a single seat for Swindon, although much of what is now in Swindon was then in the Devizes seat. ==Demographics== At the census of 2001 there were 180,061 people and 75,154 occupied houses in the Swindon Unitary Authority.<ref name="census">{{Cite web|url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/profiles/00HX-A.asp|title=Swindon UA|accessdate=2007-01-09|publisher=Office of National Statistics|work=Census 2001}}</ref> The average household size was 2.38 people. The population density was 780/km² (2020.19/mi²). 20.96% of the population were 0-15 years old, 72.80% 16-74, and the remaining 6.24% were 75 years old or over. For every 100 females there were 98.97 males. Approximately 300,000 people live within 20 minutes of Swindon town centre. [[Image:Wilts-and-Berks-Canal-Swindon.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Wilts and Berks Canal]] near Rushey Platt, Swindon.]] The ethnic make-up of the town was 95.2% white, 1.3% Indian, and 3.5% other. 92.4% were born in the UK, 2.7% in the EU, and 4.9% elsewhere. It has been forecast that there will be a 70,000 (38.9%) increase in Swindon's population by 2026; from the current 180,000, to 250,000.<ref name="bbc1">{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/5223288.stm|title=Vision proposes 35,000 new homes|accessdate=2007-01-09|publisher=BBC News|year=2006}}</ref> Swindon is considered to be an almost exact microcosm of the whole United Kingdom in its demographic make-up, to the extent that it has been used for market research purposes and trials of new products and services. One example was the ill-fated [[Mondex]] electronic money. Religious communities include [[Church of England]], [[Catholic]], [[Mormon]], and one of the largest [[Sikh]] temples in the UK. More people have joined the [[Hare Krishna]] movement in Swindon than in any other English town{{Fact|date=June 2008}}. In May 2007 65.3% of households in Swindon had [[broadband Internet access]], the highest in the UK, up 5.5% from June 2006.<ref>[http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2007/05/23/224015/swindon-and-milton-keynes-top-the-uk-broadband-league.htm/ Swindon and Milton Keynes top the UK broadband league&ndash, Computer Weekly, London, 23 May 2007].Accessed:2007-08-21.</ref> A 2007 report by [[Endsleigh Insurance]] concluded that the town was the second safest place to live in the [[United Kingdom|UK]], second only to [[Guildford]] in [[Surrey]].<ref name="2nd safe">{{Cite web|url=http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/swindonnewsheadlines/display.var.1430363.0.swindon_is_second_safest_town_in_the_uk.php|title=Swindon is second safest town in the UK|accessdate=2007-05-29|publisher=[[Swindon Advertiser]]|date=2007-05-28}}</ref> This was based on the number of insurance claims made in the region and the total incidences of burglaries and accidents reported. Endsleigh commented that "Swindon is a great example of where local authorities, working hand in hand with the community, have played a key role in bringing down crime"<ref name="2nd safe"/> ===Polish community=== After the end of [[World War II]] a significant but unspecified number of Polish refugees were put up temporarily in barracks at Fairford [[Royal Air Force|RAF]] base about 25 km (15 miles) north of Swindon. In about 1950, some of them settled in Scotland and others in Swindon<ref>[http://archive.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/2000/5/31/244211.html/ ''Community celebrates its golden anniversary'', Swindon Advertiser, 31st May 2000].Retrieved on [[2007-07-23]].</ref> rather than stay in the barracks or hostels they were offered.<ref>[http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/search/display.var.1300645.0.polish_club_closes_doors_for_last_time.php/ ''Polish club closes doors for last time'' – Swindon Advertiser, [[1 April]] [[2007]]]. Retrieved on 2007-07-24</ref> The 2001 [[United Kingdom|UK]] Census found that most of the Polish-born people had stayed or returned after serving with British forces during World War II. Swindon and Nottingham were parts of this settlement.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/uk/05/born_abroad/countries/html/poland.stm/ ''Born Abroad'', BBC News].Retrieved on 2007-07-23.</ref> Data from that census showed that 566 Swindonians were Poland-born.<ref>[http://www.multicultural-matters.com/polish_community.htm/ &ndash; ''Polish Community Focus'' Multicultural Matters].Retrieved on [[2007-07-23]]</ref> Notes to those data read: ‘The Polish Resettlement Act of 1947, which was designed to provide help and support to people who wished to settle here, covered about 190,000 people...at the time Britain did not recognise many of the professional [qualifications] gained overseas...[but] many did find work after the war; some went down the mines, some worked on the land or in steel works. Housing was more of a problem and many Poles were forced to live in barracks previously used for [[Prisoner of War|POW]]s...The first generation took pains to ensure that their children grew up with a strong sense of Polish identity.’ In 2004, [[National Health Service|NHS]] planners devising services for senior citizens estimated that 5 percent of Swindon’s population were not ‘ethnically British’<ref>[http://www.agwsha.nhs.uk/board/july04/Agenda_Item_6.1_Vic_SOC_Final_10_June_20041.pdf/ ''Modernising Services for Older People in Swindon''&ndash; Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, Swindon Primary Care Trust and Swindon Borough Council].Retrieved on [[2007-07-24]].</ref> and most of those were culturally Polish. The town’s Polish ex-servicemen’s club, which had also run a football team for 40 years closed in 2007. Barman Jerzy Trojan, 56, blamed the decline of both club and team on the children and grandchildren of the original refugees losing their Polish identity.<ref>[http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/search/display.var.1300645.0.polish_club_closes_doors_for_last_time.php/ ''Polish club closes doors for last time'' – Swindon Advertiser, [[1 April]] [[2007]]]. Retrieved on 2007-27-24.</ref> ==Business== Major employers include the [[Honda]] car production plant at South Marston, [[BMW]]/[[Mini]] in Stratton, mobile phone company [[Motorola]], [[Dolby Labs]] and retailer [[W H Smith]], with its distribution centre and headquarters. The computer company [[Intel]] has its European head office on the south side of the town and [[Alcatel-Lucent|Alcatel-Lucent Technologies]] head office is on the west side. Insurance and financial services companies such as [[Nationwide Building Society]] and [[Zurich Financial Services]], and pharmaceutical companies such as [[Canada]]'s [[Patheon]] and the [[United States|US]]-based [[Cardinal Health]] have their [[United Kingdom|UK]] divisions headquartered in the town. Other employers include several Science [[Research Council]]s, the [[British Computer Society]], eCommerce provider [[Shopatron]], divisions of [[Tyco International]], consumer goods supplier [[Reckitt Benckiser]] and a branch of [[Becton Dickinson]]. ==Transport== [[Image:Swindon Magic Roundabout eng.svg|thumb|right|The Magic Roundabout]] {{main|Transport in Swindon}} At the junction of two Roman roads, the town has developed over the centuries, with the assistance of the [[Great Western Railway|GWR]] and the [[canal]]s, into a transport hub. It has two junctions (15 and 16) onto the [[M4 motorway]] and is on the ex-GWR main line to London. Swindon has two bus operators - Thamesdown and Stagecoach.<br /> The local council acknowledges the need for more car parking as part of its vision for 2010.<ref name="carparks">{{Cite web|url=http://www.swindon.gov.uk/roadstransport/roadsandtransport-carparkinggeneral-link|title=Car Parking - General Information|accessdate=2007-01-17|publisher=Swindon Borough Council|work=Transport & Streets}}</ref><br /> Swindon is one of the locations for an innovative scheme called [http://carshareswindon.com Car share]. It was set up as a joint venture between [[Wiltshire County Council]] and a private organization which now has over 200,000 members registered. Despite the name, however, it is a [[carpool]] or ride-sharing rather than a [[Carsharing|car share]] scheme, seeking to link people willing to share transport across defined routes. ===Roundabouts=== The town is notable for its [[roundabout]]s and there is even a calendar featuring a different roundabout each month.<ref name="roundcalendar">{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/3081662.stm|title=Round trip for town's calendar|accessdate=2007-01-17|publisher=BBC News|year=2003}}</ref> The best-known roundabout is the '[[Magic Roundabout (Swindon)|Magic Roundabout]]', which is actually not a roundabout but a gyratory, at the junction of five roads including Drove Road, Queens Drive and Fleming Way. It is near the [[County Ground, Swindon|County Ground]]. The official name used to be County Islands, although it was colloquially known as the Magic Roundabout and the name was changed in the late 1990s to match its nickname. It is the subject of the song ''English Roundabout'' by local band [[XTC]] from the album ''[[English Settlement]]''. ==Tourism and recreation== ===Events=== * The town has a healthy live music scene, venues such as [http://www.bee-hive.co.uk The Beehive], [http://www.zyworld.com/Riff Riff's Bar], [http://www.the12barswindon.com The 12 Bar] and [http://www.thevicswindon.com/ The Victoria] regularly attracting good quality local acts as well as touring national acts. The [[Oasis Leisure Centre]] and the [[County Ground, Swindon|County Ground]] are also used for some of the more major events. * The [http://www.swindon.gov.uk/artscentre Arts Centre], located in Old Town, is a 212 seater theatre which features all types of music, professional and amateur theatre, nationally-recognised comedians, films, children's events, and one-man shows. * The [http://www.wyverntheatre.org.uk/ Wyvern Theatre] features many events in areas such as film, comedy, and music. * Swindon hosts many festivals throughout the year, including an annual [[mela]] in the Town Gardens, the event attracts up to 10,000 visitors each year.<ref name="mela">{{Cite web|url=http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/swindonnewsheadlines/display.var.1580814.0.what_a_jumbo_event.php|title=What a jumbo event!|accessdate=2007-07-29|publisher=[[Swindon Advertiser]]|author=Anna Mansell|date=2007-07-29}}</ref> ===Shopping=== [[Image:swindon.shopping.arp.750pix.jpg|thumb|right|[[Swindon Designer Outlet|McArthur Glen Designer Outlet]], a shopping complex built within the disused Swindon railway engine works.]] *The Brunel Centre and the Parade are shopping areas in the town centre, built along the site of the filled-in [[Wilts and Berks Canal]]. * Retail parks include Greenbridge, West Swindon Shopping Centre, Stratton and the Orbital Shopping Park. * [[Swindon Designer Outlet|McArthur Glen Designer Outlet]] is an indoor shopping mall for reduced price goods (mainly clothing), using the buildings of the disused railway engine works. The Outlet is adjacent to the [[Swindon Steam Railway Museum|Steam Museum]]. * Craft shops within Studley Grange Craft Village, inside Blooms Garden Centre, just off Junction 16 of the M4. * Small specialist shops within BSS House in Cheney Manor Industrial Park and Basepoint Business Centre. ===Green spaces=== * Public parks include [[Lydiard Country Park]], Stanton Park, Barbury Castle, [[Queens Park, Swindon|Queens Park]] and [[Coate Water Country Park|Coate Water]]. * Shaw Community Forest is being developed on the site of a former landfill site in West Swindon. ===Sporting facilities=== * The town is served by two leisure centres, the [[Link Centre]] and the [[Oasis Leisure Centre|Oasis]]. * Broome Manor Golf Complex is a golf course set against the backdrop of the [[Marlborough Downs]]. ===Other=== * The National Monuments Record Centre is in Swindon, the home of [[English Heritage]]. ==Media== ===Print=== [[Image:King George V pulling the Bristolian.JPG|thumb|right|King George V pulling the 'Bristolian' passenger train at the [[Swindon Steam Railway Museum]].]] Swindon has a daily [[local newspaper|evening newspaper]], the ''[[Swindon Advertiser]]'', with sales of over 21,000 per week. Other newspapers circulating in the area include [[Bristol]]'s daily ''[[Western Daily Press]]'' and the [[Swindon Advertiser|''Adver'']]'s weekly, the ''[[Gazette and Herald]]''. There are local magazines, including the ''The Wiltshire Ocelot'', a free listings magazine, ''Busy Bee Magazine'', ''Swindon Star'', ''Stratton Outlook'', ''Swindon Link'' magazine, ''Frequency'', an arts and cultural magazine, "The Great Swindon Magazine" and the ''Swindon Business News''. Another Swindon-produced title that has become very, very popular over the last year is madcap comic/magazine, ''Hungry Monkeys''. It features an array of off-beat characters that get involved in increasingly humorous adventures. Despite the seemingly eccentric nature of the comic, all of the characters in ''Hungry Monkeys'' live in actual Swindon addresses, which is a nice twist, to say the least. ===Radio=== Local radio stations include [[GWR FM Wiltshire]] and [[Brunel FM]] in the commercial sector, with [[BBC Radio Swindon]] as a publicly funded alternative. An [[AM broadcasting|AM]] station, [[Brunel Classic Gold|Classic Gold 936/1161]] exists as well, but only includes local programming in the late afternoon. ===Television=== Between 1973 and June 2000 Swindon had its own cable television channel. At first it was called ''Swindon Viewpoint'', a community television project run mainly by enthusiasts from the basement of a [[Radio Rentals]] branch on Victoria Road, and later rebranded as the more commercial [[Swindon Cable|Swindon's Local Channel]], which included pay-per-view films.<ref>[http://www.swindoncable.co.uk/ ''Swindon Cable - Swindon View Point - The Local Channel'', Swindoncable.co.uk]. Retrieved on [[2007-07-21]].</ref> NTL (later [[Virgin Media]]) took over the channel's parent company, ComTel, and closed the station. Regional news programmes covering Swindon include ''[[Thames Valley Tonight]]'' and ''[[The West Tonight]]'' from regional [[ITV1]] stations and ''[[South Today|South Today (Oxford)]]'' and ''[[Points West]]'' from [[BBC One]]'s regional variants. ==Film and television location== [[Image:Swindon-view.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Mechanics Institute]]]] Swindon was used as a backdrop to a 1994 commercial for [[Benylin]] cough medicine. The advert featured a shot of Britain and then zoomed in and cut to aerial views of Swindon, stopping at a bathroom window at a house in Falconscroft, Covingham. The long-running television series Casualty has used Swindon locations for two of its episodes. The Oasis Leisure Centre featured in the 1994 episode "Only The Lonely", and [[Wroughton]] Airfield was used to recreate a huge motorway crash in the 1997 episode "The Golden Hour". In 1999 a television advertising campaign for the [[Honda]] Civic was shot in the town. The adverts were aired during July/August. Locations included Covingham, West Swindon, Lydiard Park, the town centre, and Lawn Junior School. In 1999 the Motorola Building in North Swindon was used as a filming location for the James Bond film "The World is Not Enough". ==Education== Swindon has 53 primary schools, 11 secondary schools and 2 purpose built sixth-form colleges. One of the secondary schools, [[Greendown Community School]], has been awarded specialist [[Sports College]] and [[Maths and Computing College]] status. Two secondary schools also have an in-house sixth-form. Isambard Community School was opened in September 2007 with an intake of only Year 7 (11-12 year olds). It is situated within the mass housing development of Priory Vale. [[New College, Swindon|New College]] and [[Swindon College]] cater for the town's [[further education]] and [[higher education]] requirements, mainly for 16-21 year olds. Swindon College is one of the largest FE-HE colleges in southwestern England, situated at a purpose-built campus in North Star, Swindon. The "[[University of Bath]] in Swindon" was established in 2000, with its Oakfield Campus in Walcot, east Swindon, although the campus will soon close. Swindon is the UK's largest centre of population without its own university (by comparison, there are two univeristies in nearby [[Bath]], which is half Swindon's size). In March 2008 a proposal was put forward by the MP for Swindon South, Anne Snelgrove, for a university-level institution to be established in the town within a decade, culminating in a future 'University of Swindon'. ==Museums and cultural institutions== * [http://www.museum-of-computing.org.uk Museum of Computing] Oakfield Campus, University of Bath in Swindon, Marlowe Avenue. * [[Science Museum Swindon|National Museum of Science & Industry]], [[Wroughton]] * [http://www.swindonweb.com/leis/placmuserail0.htm Railway Village Museum] * [[Coate Water Country Park|Richard Jefferies Museum]] is dedicated to the memory of one of England's most individual writers on nature and the countryside. * [[Swindon Steam Railway Museum|Steam Railway Museum]] * [http://www.swindon.gov.uk/artsandculture/artscentre.htm Swindon Arts Centre] is a theatre and cinema venue, gallery, and meeting place for arts-related activities. * [http://www.wyverntheatre.org.uk Wyvern Theatre] is the town's principal stage venue * [http://www.steam-museum.org.uk/heritage/bathroad.htm Swindon Museum and Art Gallery] ==Sports== [[Image:STFC-County-Ground-Stratton-Bank.JPG|thumb|right|The [[County Ground, Swindon|Stratton Bank]]]] ===Football=== *[[Swindon Town F.C.]] - Football team playing in Football League One at the [[County Ground, Swindon|County Ground]]. *[[Swindon Supermarine F.C.]] - Football team playing in Southern League Premier Division. *[[Highworth Town F.C.]] - Football club based in [[Highworth]], playing in the [[Hellenic League]] ===Motor sports=== *[[Swindon Robins]] - Speedway team competing in the Elite League. The team has operated at the Abbey Stadium, Blunsdon since the middle of 1949, initially as an open licence track which took over the league place from the Hull team. Details of the Robins meetings 1949 and 1954 can be viewed on [http://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk Speedway Researcher]. Proposals to redevelop the Abbey Stadium are under consideration. Speedway operated at a track in the Gorse Hill area of Swindon in the early days of the sport (late 1920s/early 1930s). *[[Foxhill]], an internationally renowned [[motocross]] circuit is six miles south east of the town. The circuit has staged Grand Prix events, and has been cited as the venue for the British Motocross Grand Prix in 2008. ===Other sports=== *[[Swindon Wildcats]] and [[Swindon Panthers]] - Ice hockey teams who play at the 6000 capacity [[Link Centre]] ice rink *[[Swindon Flames]] - Roller Hockey team who train at Croft Sports Centre *[[Swindon Sonics]] - Basketball team who compete at the Link Centre. *[http://www.swindonrfl.co.uk Swindon St George ARLFC] - Amateur Rugby League Club. *[http://www.swindonrfc.co.uk Swindon RFC] - Amateur Rugby Union Club. *[http://www.swindon-rc.co.uk Swindon Road Club] - Cycling Club. *There are [[gliding]] clubs at Sandhill Farm near [[Shrivenham]] and [[Cotswold Gliding Club|Aston Down]] airfield near [[Cirencester]]. ==Twin towns== Swindon is [[Town twinning|twinned]] with - * {{flagicon|Germany}} [[Salzgitter]], [[Germany]] (1975)<ref name="twin">{{Cite web|url=http://www.swindon.gov.uk/heritage-twintowns|title=Twin Towns|accessdate=2006-12-12|publisher=Swindon Borough Council}}</ref> * {{flagicon|Nicaragua}} [[Ocotal]], [[Nicaragua]] (1990)<ref name="twin"/><ref name="twin3">{{Cite web|url=http://www.swindonocotal-link.org/SOLmore.htm|title=More About SOL|accessdate=2006-12-12|publisher=Swindon Ocotal Link}}</ref> * {{flagicon|Poland}} [[Toruń]], [[Poland]] (2006)<ref name="twin"/> * {{flagicon|USA}} [[Chattanooga]], [[USA]] (2006)<ref name="twin2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.chattanooga.gov/General_Government/62_3193.htm|title=Chattanoga's Sister Cities|accessdate=2006-12-12|publisher=City of Chattanooga}}</ref> ==In popular culture== Books set in Swindon include ''[[The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time]]'' by [[Mark Haddon]], the ''[[Thursday Next]]'' novels by [[Jasper Fforde]], and [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle]]'s detective, [[Sherlock Holmes]], who ate lunch in the town in the short story ''[[The Boscombe Valley Mystery]]''. Fforde's ''Thursday Next'' novels feature an alternative-universe Swindon that includes a parodic "Seven Wonders of Swindon," . Fforde makes the city a character in the fiction. Robert Goddard's ''Into the Blue'', ''Out of the Sun'' and most recently "Never Go Back" feature the central character of Harry Barnett from Swindon, and all three novels start in the town. The TV detective series ''[[A Touch of Frost (TV series)|A Touch of Frost]]'' starring [[David Jason]] is often set in or around Swindon (called "Denton" in the series) and early episodes feature briefings of the detective team in front of maps of the Swindon area. The British television [[comedy]] series ''[[The Office (UK TV series)|The Office]]'' contains many references to Swindon, as Swindon was home to a newly absorbed part of Wernham-Hogg's [[Slough]] office after significant downsizing. The town was referred to heavily in a 1998 episode of [[The Comic Strip]] titled "Four Men in a Car" in which [[Rik Mayall]], [[Adrian Edmundson]] et al attempt to get to Swindon for a sales conference. and featured Mayall's frequent lament "I just want to get to Swindon". The British television series ''[[Red Dwarf]]'' makes a reference to the town in series seven, in the episode [[Epideme]]. The character [[Dave Lister]] dies and is brought back from the dead. Upon being asked what death was like, he replies "Have you ever been to Swindon?" The father of The Nice Family (a caricature of a strictly disciplined, dull family) in Channel 4's "[[Absolutely]]" exclaims "By Swindon, this is an inspiring tale!" during a particularly boring presentation by a travelling salesman. Comedian [[Eddie Izzard]] typically uses Swindon as the base of a fictitious 1960s British moon landing attempt that uses a series of ladders. In his live recording ''[[Dress to Kill (stand-up comedy)|Dress to Kill]]'', the [[San Francisco]]-based audience fails to recognise the reference and he makes light of this: {{quote|There should be a bigger laugh for that joke, I think. Yeah, I can't quite understand it; I thought it was really funny. Swindon, a knackered, kind of Fresno town. They don't seem to be going for it. They're obviously bastards.|Eddie Izzard, Dress to Kill (1999)<ref name="izzard">{{Cite web|url=http://www.auntiemomo.com/cakeordeath/d2ktranscription.html|title=Dress to Kill transcript at ''cake or death: an eddie izzard site|accessdate=2007-10-04}}</ref>}} Actress [[Diana Dors]] was born in Swindon in 1931 ===James Bond=== * James Bond author [[Ian Fleming]] is buried in the Borough at [[Sevenhampton, Wiltshire|Sevenhampton]]. * Two [[James Bond]] films have used Swindon for scenes.<ref name="bond">{{Cite web|url=http://www.swindonweb.com/?m=8&s=121&ss=406&c=1346&t=James+Bond|title=James Bond|accessdate=2007-01-09|publisher=SwindonWeb|work=The Swindon Connection}}</ref> **The former Renault building in West Swindon was used in ''[[A View to a Kill]]'' (released 1985).<ref name="renault">{{Cite web|url=http://www.swindonweb.com/?m=8&s=115&ss=462&c=1169&t=The%20Renault%20Building|title=The Renault Building|accessdate=2007-01-09|publisher=SwindonWeb|work=Swindon Places}}</ref> **The futuristic [[Motorola]] production plant in Abbey Meads was used for a setting of a Turkish Oil refinery in ''[[The World Is Not Enough]]'' (released 1999). ===In music=== * The rockpop band [[XTC]], formed in 1977, are from Swindon. Also members of related act [[Shriekback]]. [[XTC]]'s co-founder guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and graphic artist [[Andy Partridge]] still lives in the town. * [[Noel Gallagher]], frontman of the rock band [[Oasis (band)|Oasis]] chose the name of his band after visiting Swindon's Oasis swimming pool and leisure centre in 1993, while working as a roadie for a band, [[Inspiral Carpets]], which had been performing at the leisure centre. * [[Supertramp]] keyboard player and singer Rick Davies comes from Swindon. The sleeve art for ''[[Breakfast in America]]'' shows the band's members in an American diner reading their hometowns' newspapers, Davies is reading Swindon's ''Evening Advertiser'' (since renamed as the [[Swindon Advertiser]]). * [[The Moody Blues|Moody Blues]]' vocalist, lead guitarist and songwriter [[Justin Hayward]] is from Swindon. He wrote their signature song ''[[Nights in White Satin]]''. * Electronic music outfit [[Meat Beat Manifesto]], were formed in Swindon in 1987. * 1970s novelty act [[The Barron Knights]] released ''The Swindon Cowboy'' as the B-side of their 1980 single ''Never Mind the Presents''. Written after the band played a gig in town, it gently mocks the Swindon accent. * Actress and singer [[Billie Piper]] was born in Swindon in 1982 * Metal band [[Eternal Lord]] base themselves in Swindon ==Notable Swindonians== {{further|[[Swindonian|List of notable Swindonians]]}} ==See also== *[[Swindon Civic Trust]] ==References== {{reflist|2}} ==Further reading== * ''Swindon'', Mark Child, Breedon Books, 2002, hardcover, 159 pages, ISBN 1-85983-322-5 * ''Francis Frith's Swindon Living Memories (Photographic Memories S.)'', Francis Frith and Brian Bridgeman, The Frith Book Company Ltd, 2003, Paperback, 96 pages, ISBN 1-85937-656-8 ==External links== {{Wikisource1911Enc|Swindon}} *[http://www.swindon.gov.uk/ Swindon.gov.uk] Borough Council website *[http://www.swindonweb.com/ SwindonWeb] Dedicated to Swindon *[http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/ BBC Wiltshire] BBC site for Wiltshire & Swindon *[http://www.swindonlink.com/ Swindon Link Magazine] For North and West Swindon *[http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/history/archive_films/ Swindon Archive Films] and [http://www.bbc.co.uk/wiltshire/history/photos/swindon/index.shtml Historic Photos] *[http://www.newswindon.co.uk New Swindon Company] Regeneration plans for the town centre *[http://www.visitswindon.co.uk/ Visit Swindon] Tourism website {{Wiltshire}} [[Category:Swindon| ]] [[Category:Towns in Wiltshire]] [[Category:Railway towns in England]] [[Category:Articles including recorded pronunciations (UK English)]] [[da:Swindon]] [[de:Swindon]] [[es:Swindon]] [[eo:Swindon]] [[fr:Swindon]] [[id:Swindon]] [[it:Swindon]] [[nl:Swindon (stad)]] [[ja:スウィンドン]] [[no:Swindon]] [[pl:Swindon]] [[ro:Swindon]] [[qu:Swindon]] [[ru:Суиндон]] [[fi:Swindon]] [[sv:Swindon]] [[vo:Swindon]]