Swindon
Explore hidden histories, historic photos, and things you never knew about Swindon from the collections and archives of Historic England.
Discover your local listed buildings and places
Introducing some of Swindon's most historic sites, included in the National Heritage List for England. Some of these captions have been summarised by AI. Click through for the official List entry.
Liddington Castle
Liddington
Liddington Castle is a slight univallate hillfort dating from the Late Bronze to Early Iron Age, crucial for understanding historic transitions and linked with the Ridgeway trackway.
Health Hydro (former GWR Medical Fund Baths and Dispensary)
South Swindon
Dispensary and swimming baths, now health hydro, built in 1891 for the Great Western Railway (GWR) Medical Fund Society, designed by JJ Smith of Swindon; washing baths built in 1898-9;...
Corn Exchange and Town Hall
South Swindon
The Corn Exchange and Town Hall in Swindon, designed by Sampson Sage and E Robertson in 1852-54, was extended in 1866. It now serves as a bingo hall and shops.
The former Swindon Steam Laundry
South Swindon
Part of a former cheese factory owned by the Aylesbury dairy Company dating from the 1870s, converted into a steam laundry in c1891 to a design by Ellis Herbert Pritchett, with late C20...
The Spectrum Building (formerly the Renault Distribution …
West Swindon
A warehouse for storing vehicle components, with showroom, offices and ancillary facilities, built in 1981-2 for the car manufacturer Renault to designs started in 1979 by the architect Sir...
Swindon Civic Offices
South Swindon
Civic offices for the Corporation of Swindon, 1937-1939, by Bertram, Bertram and Rice, AARIBA, with associated pergola.
Swimming Pool Dome at the Oasis Leisure Centre
Central Swindon North
A leisure pool, designed in 1974 by Peter Sargent, ARIBA, with Trevor Wilson and Mark Potiriadis, of Gillinson, Barnett and Partners. Built 1974-1975 and opened on 1 January 1976.
Remains of Holy Rood Church, The Lawn, Old Town
South Swindon
Holy Rood Church in Old Town, Swindon, features below-ground remains and a chancel chapel, with historical modifications from the 13th to 15th centuries.
Barbury Castle: a hillfort and bowl barrow
Wroughton
Barbury Castle is a rare large multivallate hillfort containing archaeological evidence, demonstrating its importance in understanding Iron Age social organization and prehistoric land...
Central Community Centre
South Swindon
Community centre, the central block built in 1862 as the Armoury for the Great Western Railway works; converted to create a hospital for GWR workers, incorporating flanking workers' cottages...
Former GWR works entrance, pedestrian subway and former c…
Central Swindon North
Entrance building to the former Great Western Railway engineering works with pedestrian subway under the railway, 1870, and former carriage trimming shop above, 1870-1872.
Bell Hotel
South Swindon
The Bell Hotel in Swindon is a 19th-century hostelry built on the site of a previous inn, notable for its architectural features like a timber-framed gallery.
The Limes
South Swindon
The Limes is a historically significant house from the late 17th, mid-18th, and mid-19th centuries, featuring unique architectural elements like stone slate roofs and panelled interiors.
Queen's Park, Swindon
South Swindon
Queen's Park in Swindon was developed from a claypit in the 1940s and 1950s, featuring gardens and memorials, including the 1950s Garden of Remembrance opened by Princess Elizabeth.
Town Gardens, Swindon
South Swindon
Town Gardens in Swindon, developed from old quarries, is a public park featuring paths, rose gardens, bandstands, and historical entrances designed by various architects in the late 19th and...
4-34, Faringdon Road, Swindon, SN1 5BJ
South Swindon
IK Brunel designed a village for railway workers south of the line. Built from 1842-1855, it showcased decorative architecture, creating one of Britain's best-preserved railway settlements.
Manor House and Manor Cottage
Central Swindon North
Manor House and Manor Cottage consist of late 16th-century buildings with extensive 18th and 19th-century renovations, featuring stone rubble construction and Jacobean decorative elements...
British Rail Engineering Limited Swindon Works Turntable
Central Swindon North
The British Rail Engineering Limited Swindon Works Turntable is a 1902 steel turntable, rare and historically significant in the context of Victorian industrial structures.
Queens Hotel
South Swindon
Built between 1840-1850, Queens Hotel features ashlar dressings, a hipped slate roof, and a Tuscan portico. It is located on Station Road, Swindon.
Hannington Hall
Hannington
Hannington Hall, built in 1653 by Raufe and William Freke, features additions from 1836 and an interior remodel in the 19th century.
Sevenhampton House
Highworth
Sevenhampton House, a Grade II listed building, dates from the mid to late 17th century, featuring distinctive mullion windows, a T-plan stair turret, and notable chimney designs.
West Leaze Farmhouse
Wroughton
West Leaze Farmhouse, an early 19th-century rubble and red brick house, features mansard roofs with dormers and is associated with historic canal-based farming.
The Glue Pot Public House
South Swindon
Public house, formerly shop, built in 1846-1847 by the Great Western Railway Company; extended in the later C19, with minor internal alterations in 1966; bar refitted in 1986-1987.
Stone Building on Island Platform at Swindon Railway Stat…
Central Swindon North
Two-storey classical building on the island platform at Swindon Station, opened in 1842, truncated by five bays at the eastern end c.1880s, with attached canopies of c.1880s.
Hillfort and lynchets on Castle Hill
Blunsdon
Castle Hill features a rare slight univallate hillfort and medieval lynchets, crucial for insights into historical land use and community transitions from the Bronze to Iron Ages.
Coate Water Diving Platform
South Swindon
Concrete diving stage completed in 1935 to a design by the Swindon Borough Surveyor JBL Thompson.
Medieval settlement and associated ridge and furrow, West…
Wroughton
The medieval settlement at West Leaze is a well-preserved example on northern Wiltshire's claylands, showcasing regional diversity with village and woodland landscape elements.
Earthwork enclosure and dewpond 490m north of Barbury Castle
Wroughton
The earthwork enclosure north of Barbury Castle shows prehistoric to post-medieval land use with archaeological and Roman material evidence, including a later dewpond.
Carriage Works No 7 Shop
South Swindon
Carriage Works No 7 Shop, built between 1870-80 for GWR, features Gothic architectural details and now serves as industrial workshops.
Wick Farmhouse
Nythe, Eldene and Liden
Wick Farmhouse, a late 16th-century building, was converted into four flats in 1978-9. It features rubblestone construction, Bradstone slate roofs, and intricate interior beams.
Church of St Mark, boundary walls and gatepiers
South Swindon
Anglican parish church for New Swindon, built in 1843-1845, by (Sir) George Gilbert Scott, RA (1811-1878) and William Bonython Moffatt (1812-1887); altered and extended in 1897 by Temple...
Day House
South Swindon
Day House is a mid-19th century villa with characteristic mullion windows and a hipped slate roof, featuring a square bay and decorative glazing. Located in Chiseldon.
Warnford Place
Highworth
Warnford Place includes features from an 18th-century mansion, such as a decorative door with classical elements and a Doric portico.
The Crumpled Horn
Nythe, Eldene and Liden
Themed, single-bar public house, to designs by Roy Wilson-Smith FRIBA of Wilson-Smith & Partners for Watney Mann.
Former model lodging house for GWR workers, later Wesleya…
South Swindon
Former model lodging house for workers on the Great Western Railway, begun 1847, revised and completed 1853-1855; converted to a Wesleyan chapel in 1869, in use until 1959; converted again...
Church of St Leonard
Blunsdon
The Church of St Leonard features a 15th-century tower, a 13th-century origin with restoration by Butterfield in 1870, and a noteworthy John Potenger memorial by Peter Scheemakers.
Mill House
Wroughton
Mill House, located on Perry's Lane, features historical architectural elements including red brick Flemish bond and a datestone from 1685. It has undergone several modifications over time.
Stone circle immediately north east of Day House, Coate
South Swindon
The stone circle near Day House, Coate is an important example of prehistoric monuments in England, likely used for ritual purposes, and contains valuable archaeological deposits.
Swindon through time
This timeline shows the first period of use for buildings and places on the National Heritage List for England, just one of the details recorded for every list entry. Click around to see how Swindon changes over time.
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion, from hunter-gatherers of several human species, including Neanderthals, to more recent herders and farmers. It was a time of developing technologies and belief systems, involving contact with and migration from Europe, all reflected in the variety of artefact and monument types characteristic of particular prehistoric periods.
Roman AD 43 to AD 410
Britain was invaded by four legions of the Roman army in AD 43, who relatively rapidly conquered England from landing points in Kent. Parts of Wales and Scotland soon followed.
Roman culture brought urbanism, monumental buildings, wide-ranging religious beliefs, writing, and strong social hierarchy. The Roman administrative system was withdrawn in AD 410.
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanently altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion, from hunter-gatherers of several human species, including Neanderthals, to more recent herders and farmers. It was a time of developing technologies and belief systems, involving contact with and migration from Europe, all reflected in the variety of artefact and monument types characteristic of particular prehistoric periods.
Roman AD 43 to AD 410
Britain was invaded by four legions of the Roman army in AD 43, who relatively rapidly conquered England from landing points in Kent. Parts of Wales and Scotland soon followed.
Roman culture brought urbanism, monumental buildings, wide-ranging religious beliefs, writing, and strong social hierarchy. The Roman administrative system was withdrawn in AD 410.
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanently altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Aerial photos of Swindon
Aerial photography helps reveal secrets of England's changing landscapes that are impossible to see from the ground.
Swindon
View of New Town, Swindon, 1920
Swindon
The town centre, Swindon, 1981
Swindon
Regent's Circus and environs, Swindon, 1924
Swindon
The David Murray John Tower and Brunel Centre, Swindon, 1987
Highworth
Roundhill Farm, Highworth, 1938
Highworth
Roundhill Farm and surrounding countryside, Highworth, 1938
Swindon
General view of Swindon from the High Street and environs, Swindon, 1924
Highworth
St Michael's Church and High Street, Highworth, 1972
Swindon
Old Town, Swindon, 1938
Ogbourne St Andrew
Barbury Castle, Ogbourne St Andrew, 1947
Swindon in the Historic England Archive
The Historic England Archive cares for over 15 million images, dating from the 1850s to the present day. Discover stunning images of Swindon's past.
Eric de Mare
Blunsdon St Andrew, Swindon
Date created: 1945 - 1980
Exterior view of St Andrew's Church in Blunsdon St Andrew showing the bellcote from the south west.
John Gay Collection: Counties
Swindon
Date created: 1940s - 1950s
A row of cows being milked in the milking shed at Church Farm
John Laing Collection
Swindon
Date created: 07 Jul 1961
A view of newly built houses off Davenham Close in Swindon
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Old Town, Swindon, Swindon
Date created: 1900 - 1930
GENERAL VIEW SHOWING THE BANDSTAND
Eric de Mare
Castle Eaton, Swindon
Date created: 1945 - 1980
Exterior detail view of St Mary's Church in Castle Eaton showing the bell tower. The medieval church was restored in 1861-63 by William Butterfield.
John Gay Collection: Counties
Swindon
Date created: 1940s - 1950s
A "hygenic mobile stores" van parked outside the cow houses at Church Farm in Inglesham
John Laing Collection
Park North, Swindon
Date created: 21 Oct 1960
A block of Easiform houses at 311-317 Welcombe Avenue in Swindon
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Old Town, Swindon, Swindon
Date created: 1944 - 1949
GENERAL VIEW OF THE ROSE GARDEN
Eric de Mare
Inglesham, Swindon
Date created: 1945 - 1980
Exterior view of St John the Baptist's Church in Inglesham showing the graveyard in the foreground.
John Gay Collection: Counties
Swindon
Date created: 1940s - 1950s
Cows standing in front of a cow house at Church Farm, with the Church of St John the Baptist behind.
John Laing Collection
Park North, Swindon
Date created: 21 Oct 1960
The Mayor of Swindon, Miss E C M Millin, giving a speech at the opening ceremony for the 4000th post-war house constructed by Laing in Swindon
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Old Town, Swindon, Swindon
Date created: 1902 - 1907
GENERAL VIEW WITH THE BANDSTAND IN THE DISTANCE
Stories about heritage in your local area
Historic England publishes news, blogs, research, videos, and podcasts celebrating England's rich heritage. Discover the stories we have about Swindon.
A Brief Introduction to the History of the Railway in England
Mentions 4-25, Bristol Street, Stone Building on Island Platform at Swindon Railway Station (MLN17716)
Discover when the first steam train was invented in England, and when the world's first public railway opened in Stockton and Darlington in 1825.
The Legend of King Arthur
Mentions Liddington Castle
King Arthur was central to the legendary tales of medieval romance. Discover the places connected to Camelot, Tintagel, and the Battle of Badon Hill.
Swindon: The History of a Railway Town
Mentions British Rail Engineering Limited Swindon Works Main Office Block, Gwr Works, Former GWR works entrance, pedestrian subway and former carriage trimming shop, Water Tower
In the 19th century, the railway transformed Swindon from a small market town into an industrial giant.
007 Historic Places Behind the World of James Bond
Mentions The Spectrum Building (formerly the Renault Distribution Centre), Warnford Place, Church of St James
Explore some of the listed places that helped to build Bond’s world.
A Brief Introduction to Lidos
Mentions Coate Water Diving Platform
Increasing water safety concerns in the 1920s inspired the creation of outdoor pools with concrete, tiled tanks and water filtration systems.
6 Spectacular Swimming Pools
Mentions Health Hydro (former GWR Medical Fund Baths and Dispensary)
Dive in and discover some of England’s historic swimming pools.
Roundup of our Railway Related Reports, Publications and Guidance
Mentions Swindon
Read our back catalogue of reports, books and other publications as well as guidance on railway heritage and history.
Celebrating the Harold Wingham Collection Through Active Participation
Mentions Swindon
A collaborative project remembers the work of Harold Wingham, an unsung hero of aerial photography.
Overheating and Historic Buildings
Mentions Swindon
This article explores how occupant comfort in historic buildings is being challenged under the influence of global warming trends.
The London Wreck: A Kaleidoscope of Specialists, Materials and Artefacts
Mentions Swindon
Scientific analysis of the finds from the wreck of the London has revealed a wealth of information about life aboard a 17th century Royal Navy Vessel.
The Roman Landscape Characterisation and Prediction Project
Mentions Swindon
Harnessing the potential of existing knowledge to develop predictive models of Roman settlement.
The Military Town and Bathhouse of Birdoswald Fort on Hadrian’s Wall
Mentions Swindon
Recent excavation has provided important new understanding of the extramural settlement outside the fort.
The Military Town and Bathhouse of Birdoswald Fort on Hadrian’s Wall
Mentions Swindon
Recent excavation has provided important new understanding of the extramural settlement outside the fort.
Effects of Relative Humidity on COVID-19 in Heritage Interiors
Mentions Swindon
Research into the relationship between relative humidity and controlling the spread of COVID-19 in historic interiors.
New Funding to Uncover and Celebrate Working Class Heritage
Mentions Swindon
Historic England's Everyday Heritage Grant programme is funding 56 new projects across the nation, telling the stories of working class heritage.
Using Drones For Field Survey
Mentions Swindon
Small unmanned aircraft, often known as drones, can now be used to create digital field surveys. Assessment of the results suggests a technique with c
The English Railway Station
Mentions Swindon
The first-ever national survey of these iconic structures has been published by Historic England.
Must Farm Bronze Age Timber Platform
Mentions Swindon
A fresh perspective on the Bronze Age discoveries at Must Farm examining their wider settlement and landscape context.
Swindon's social history through photos
Over 10,000 images from the Historic England Archive have been specially selected and re-captioned for teachers, students, and anyone who wants to learn more about their local area.
Town Hall, Swindon
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
This building was originally the New Swindon Local Board Offices.
Town Hall, Swindon
Town Gardens, Old Town, Swindon, Wiltshire
Period: Edwardian (1902 - 1913)
Town Gardens were laid out in the late 19th and early 20th centuries on the undulating Okus Field, the site of old Purbeck stone quarries that were...
Town Gardens, Old Town, Swindon, Wiltshire
The Old Manor House, Highworth, Swindon
Period: Stuart (1603 - 1713)
This house is dated 'BIS 1656'. It is thought that it is probably even older than this. It is most likely a 15th century hall house.
The Old Manor House, Highworth, Swindon
Terrace of 24 cottages, Railway Village, Swindon
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
One of the streets in the development built for the Great Western Railway Company workforce.
Terrace of 24 cottages, Railway Village, Swindon
Spring Shop, GWR Works, Swindon, Wiltshire
Period: 1980s (1980 - 1989)
Springs for suspension were manufactured in the Spring Shop. This was a skilled, labour-intensive job.
Spring Shop, GWR Works, Swindon, Wiltshire
'R' Shop, GWR Works, Swindon, Wiltshire
Period: 1980s (1980 - 1989)
Brunel chose Swindon as the site for his locomotive works for the new GWR, and it was opened in 1843.
'R' Shop, GWR Works, Swindon, Wiltshire
Prefabricated Houses, Northern Road, Swindon
Period: 1950s (1950 - 1959)
These prefabricated BISF (British Iron and Steel Federation) steel framed houses in Swindon are located at 105-115 Northern Road, with Beech Avenue...
Prefabricated Houses, Northern Road, Swindon
Pattern Store and Water Tank, Swindon
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
This was the pattern store for the Great Western Railway (GWR) in Swindon. It held drawings and papers for the designs of the GWR.
Pattern Store and Water Tank, Swindon
Discover more
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