Boundary Wall to the east of the former GWR Carriage Works

Summary

Wall and gateway, early 1870s, by the Great Western Railway (GWR).

Reasons for Designation

The Boundary Wall to the east of the former GWR Carriage Works is listed at Grade II, for the following principal reasons:

Historic interest:

* part of the Great Western Railway’s major works site at Swindon, one of the earliest, largest and most significant railway developments in the world;

* providing evidence of the historic boundary and extent of the massive site, marking the separation between industrial and public spaces.

Architectural interest:

* reflecting the architectural house-style of the company, well-constructed using local stone, and following the bay system, with a strong visual rhythm achieved through the series of blind openings.

Group value:

* with a number of other listed structures related to the GWR.

History

The Great Western Railway (GWR), a pioneering line between London and Bristol, was completed in 1841. The little town of Swindon was adopted during the construction of the line as the epicentre for its operation, being conveniently located halfway along the line. Workshops, later expanded into the massive Swindon locomotives and carriage works, were built, along with a planned village to house staff.

When the works were rationalised in the 1980s, many of the buildings and structures were listed, including various boundary walls, illustrating the extent and divisions of the large site, and reflecting the evolving architectural aspirations of the company. One such section of wall stands to the north of Sheppard Street, built in the early 1870s as part of the southern boundary of the site to the west of the station.

The 'Hawksworth Plans' chart the development of the GWR works by period, and between 1870 and 1880 major developments were made. At that time, the Swindon works were led by Joseph Armstrong, the locomotive, carriage and wagon superintendent, who, during his tenure from 1864-1877 expanded and modernised the works considerably; by the time of his death in 1877, the GWR was the largest railway in the country with most of its manufacturing, repair facilities and general administration at the Swindon works.

Funding for a new carriage works was secured in 1868, and Thomas Clayton was appointed as the carriage and wagon works’ superintendent. The large new works, No 8 shop (1870-1873, listed at Grade II), was built to the south-west of the station, and the retaining boundary wall enclosed tracks leading into the works. A gateway at the east end provided access to a towpath along the course of the former North Wilts branch of the canal, which passed beneath the tracks. The canal was officially abandoned in the early C20, and is now infilled. The wall has been truncated at the west end to provide vehicle access between the upper and lower levels of the plot.

Details

Wall and gateway, early 1870s, by the Great Western Railway.

MATERIALS: rock-faced snecked Foxwood rubble with Bath stone dressings.

PLAN: the wall is orientated south-west to north-east and stands parallel to the south-east of the main railway line. Initially adjoining No 8 shop, adjacent to the west, it has been slightly truncated and stands detached, and retains higher ground on the north-west side. At the east end is a gateway which originally provided entrance an to the canal.

EXTERIOR: the wall is approximately 100m long and is some 5m in height on the outside and 3m on the inside of the former works site. The lower length of the wall is continuous uninterrupted masonry. Above, it has a series of inset rectangular panels with quoined jambs, with a continuous string course beneath, and chamfered lintels above. The wall has ashlar coping stones. At the east end are two pairs of piers framing the course of the former canal.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

482508

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Cattell, J, Falconer, K, Swindon: The Legacy of a Railway Town (RCHME), (1995)

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