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Town/City Name
Swindon
County
Wiltshire
Population
222,193
About Swindon
Swindon is a large town. It’s population is 222,193. This town is specifically located in Wiltshire, England, and the Town Development Act in 1952 was the reason why the town has a large population. This town is situated between Reading and Bristol.
The residents of the town are called Swindonians, and Swindon is popularly known because the National Trust’s headquarters and the Nationwide Building Society’s head office are both located in it. A Honda car manufacturing plan is also located in the area, nearby South Marston, but it will be closing this 2021.
There are several places and attractions to explore when going out in Swindon. Some of these famous tourist spots include the STEAM Museum of the Great Western Railway, Museum of Computing, Lydiard Park, Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, and Coate Water.
One of the most frequently visited tourist attractions is the STEAM Museum of the Great Wester Railway because the railway was once considered as one of the world’s largest railway facilities. It has operated for over 140 years, too. The museum was created to remember the railway and its history, and this place is staffed by past rail workers. This way, visitors can know about factual information, and they also get to talk about people who have firsthand experiences working and operating the railway.
Several restaurants in Swindon offer diverse and delicious variety of food, so you should be wise in spending your money around this town. Mexican, Italian, and Asian cuisine are offered in the town, so you will never run out of options. When it comes to drinks, there are numerous pubs in Swindon which can be enjoyed in different locations. Like the restaurants, some pubs are situated in distinct locations like trees while some are more sophisticated.
Several notable people hailed from Swindon like Heide Alexander, Dean Ashton, Colin Bailey, Ralph Bates, and Carl Benjamin. These peoples are popular in different fields, and most of them are in the media.
Places to eat in Swindon, Restaurants in Swindon
Places to drink in Swindon, Pubs and Bars in Swindon
A brief history of Swindon
Swindon was initially known as Suindine, according to the Domesday Book in 1086. This is said to be from the words swine and dun. When combined, these words mean pig hill, and some people say the words mean Sweyn’s hill.
Swindon was recorded in the same book as a manor, a large one that was divided into five landlords. The Swindon estate was primarily owned by Leofgeat before the Battle of Hastings.
Starting from the 16th century, the lord of the manor was the Goddard family. The manor house was sometimes called The Lawn during these times.
Mainly for barter trade, Swindon was known as a small market town. This market area was located in the Old Town in Swindon’s central. The town progressed due to the Industrial Revolution, resulting in population growth.
Swindon Works of Isambard Kingdom Brunel was constructed in the area for the Great Western Railway’s maintenance and repair. This was between 1841 and 1842. The workers employed in the railway have weekly deductions from their pay so that they are given free medicines and medical treatments. This benefitted the employees and their families when tuberculosis came to town.
Several new industries bloomed during World War II, and by 1960, the biggest employer in Swindon was Plessey. The workforce is composed mainly of women.
When it comes to governance, the Greater London Council separated from the Town Development Agreement to develop independently. In 1997, the Swindon Borough Council was formed.
However, the railway works were closed, and this event majorly affected Swindon. Along with this, diversification continued as the population grew.
Popular things to do in Swindon
- Enjoy the day at Coate Water Country Park - https://www.swindon.gov.uk/info/20077/parks_and_open_spaces/487/coate_water_park
- Learn about history at Museum of Computing - https://www.museumofcomputing.org.uk/
- Appreciate nature at Roves Farm - https://rovesfarm.co.uk/
- Take a peek at the Swindon & Cricklade Railway - https://swindon-cricklade-railway.org/
- Shop designer brands at Swindon Designer Outlet - https://www.mcarthurglen.com/outlets/en/uk/designer-outlet-swindon/
Free things to do in Swindon
- Seize the day at Lydiard Park - https://www.lydiardpark.org.uk/
- Visit St Mary's Lydiard Tregoze - https://www.stmaryslydiardtregoze.org.uk/
- Stroll along Heelis – https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/heelis
- Join the service at St Sampson Parish Church - https://www.upperthames.org.uk/st-sampsons-cricklade/
- Treat yourself at The Vault Bar & Lounge - https://www.thevaultbarlounge.co.uk/
Great for kids in Swindon
- Let kids enjoy at the Museum of Computing – https://www.museumofcomputing.org.uk/
- Entertain yourselves at Cineworld Swindon - Regent Circus - https://www.cineworld.co.uk/cinemas/swindon-regent-circus/8099
- Learn about important things at STEAM - Museum of the GWR - https://www.steam-museum.org.uk/
- Be creative at Eastcott Studios - https://www.eastcottstudios.co.uk/
- Enjoy your visit at Oasis Leisure Centre - https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/swindon
Great for dogs in Swindon
- Barbury Castle
- The Ridgeway
- Stanton Country Park
Dog friendly bars
- The Royal Oak
- The Old Boathouse
- Jennie’s Kitchen
Dog friendly restaurants
- The Plough on the Hill
- The Bakers Arms
- The Runner
Did you know?
Swindon houses a scary road junction. The well-known Magic Roundabout is said to be the scariest in Britain. Also, Swindon is said to be the favourite town of James Bond, filming the movies twice in the town.
In addition to the things mentioned above, the famous band Oasis also got their name from Oasis Leisure Centre just because Liam Gallagher, the band’s lead singer, saw an advertisement of the venue on a poster.
The hidden gems of Swindon
There are a lot of military bases which are underground in Britain. Some of them can be found in Swindon. These were meant to be destroyed, but they were not, so you can find a lot of them in different areas, mostly in forests. These bunkers have stayed unknown for decades.
Unique to Swindon
Coate Water was formerly a recreation park. Although it is currently a home to seagulls, geese, ducks, and swans, in the past, many people have dived off this concrete statue in the Coate Water lake’s centre. This used to be a diving board. Swimming in the lake was then prohibited, that is why it became a home to other living things.
