Swindon
Swindon shown within the United Kingdom
Population	155,432
OS grid reference	SU152842
- London	81mi
Unitary authority	Swindon
Ceremonial county	Wiltshire
Region	South West
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	SWINDON
Postcode district	SN1-6, SN25, SN26
Dialling code	01793
Police	Wiltshire
Fire	Wiltshire
Ambulance	Great Western
UK Parliament	North Swindon
	South Swindon
European Parliament	South West England
List of places: UK • England • Wiltshire

Coordinates: 51°33′30″N 1°46′52″W / 51.558333, -1.781111 Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x800, 11 KB) Summary Description: A blank map of the United Kingdom, with country outline and coastline; contact the author for help with modifications or add-ons Source: Reference map provided by Demis Mapper 6 Date: 2006-21-06 Author: User... Image File history File links Red_pog2. ... The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. ... The article on the town of Swindon is here. ... The Ceremonial counties of England are areas of England that are appointed a Lord-Lieutenant, and are defined by the government with reference to the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England. ... Wiltshire (abbreviated Wilts) is a large southern English county. ... The region, also known as Government Office Region, is currently the highest tier of local government subnational entity of England in the United Kingdom. ... South West England is one of the regions of England. ... Constituent countries is a phrase used, often by official institutions, in contexts in which a number of countries make up a larger entity or grouping, concerning these countries; thus the OECD has used the phrase in reference to the parts of former Yugoslavia[1]; the Soviet Union referring to the... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This is an alphabetical list of the sovereign states of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states. ... A post town is a required part of all UK postal addresses. ... UK postal codes are known as postcodes. ... The SN postcode area, also known as the Swindon postcode area[2], is a group of postal districts around Calne, Chippenham, Corsham, Devizes, Faringdon, Malmesbury, Marlborough, Melksham, Pewsey and Swindon in England. ... The UK telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Numbering Plan, is regulated by the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which replaced the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel) in 2003. ... Wiltshire Constabulary is the police force covering Wiltshire and Swindon in south-west England. ... A Fire Appliance belonging to the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service The fire service in the United Kingdom has undergone dramatic changes since the beginning of the 21st century, a process that has been propelled by a devolution of central government powers, new legislation and a change to operational... The Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service is the county-wide, statutory emergency fire and rescue service for the ceremonial county of Wiltshire, England. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Great Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust provides services in Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire in the South West England region. ... The United Kingdom House of Commons is made up of Members of Parliament (MPs). ... North Swindon is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... South Swindon is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... This is a list of Members of the European Parliament for the United Kingdom in the 2004 to 2009 session, ordered by name. ... The constituency (first used 2004) within England; Gibraltar is in the inset. ... List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in England Lists of places within counties List of places in Bedfordshire List of places in Berkshire List of places in Buckinghamshire List of places in Cambridgeshire List of places in Cheshire List of places in Cleveland List of places... This is a list of cities, towns and villages in the ceremonial county of Wiltshire, England. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...

Swindon is a large town located in Wiltshire in the South West of England. The town is approximately midway between Bristol (64 km / 40 miles west) and Reading (64 km / 40 miles east) and about 130 km (81 miles) west of London. It is located on the main rail line between London and Bristol, and has one main train station which was refurbished in 2005. It was designated an 'Expanded' Town under the Town Development Act 1952, which led to a vast increase in the population of the town.^[1] It is in the borough of Swindon, which has been a unitary authority independent of Wiltshire since 1998. In the 2001 census the population of the Swindon urban area was 155,432, whilst around 184,000 lived in the Borough, which includes the satellite towns of Highworth and Wroughton. Swindon is a large town in Wiltshire, United Kingdom. ... Wiltshire (abbreviated Wilts) is a large southern English county. ... South West England is one of the regions of England. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article is about the English city. ... , Reading is a town, unitary authority (the Borough of Reading) and urban area in the English county of Berkshire. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Swindon railway station is a railway station serving the town of Swindon in Wiltshire in England. ... Swindon is a borough in Wiltshire ceremonial county , South West England. ... A unitary authority is a type of local authority, which has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area. ... The article on the town of Swindon is here. ... Highworth is a small market town in the unitary authority of Swindon in Wiltshire, England, located about six miles north-east of Swindon town centre. ... , Wroughton is a large village in Wiltshire in the South West England region of the UK. It is part of the Borough of Swindon and is situated some 7 km (4 miles) southeast of Swindon. ...

A resident of Swindon is known as a Swindonian. Swindon's motto is "Salubritas et Industria" (Health and Industry). A Swindonian is a person who inhabits, or originates from, Swindon, England. ... For other uses, see Motto (disambiguation). ...

History

Main article: History of Swindon

The original saxon settlement of Swindon sat in a defensible position atop a limestone hill. It is referred to in the Domesday Book as Suindune, a name believed to be derived from the Anglo-Saxon words swine and dun meaning 'pig hill', or possibly 'Sweyn's hill' where Sweyn would be the local landlord. Swindon remained a small market town, mainly for barter trade, until the mid-1800s. This original market area of Swindon is located on top of the hill in central Swindon and is now known as Old Town. Swindon is a town in Wiltshire in the South West of England. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... A line drawing entitled Domesday Book from Andrew Williamss Historic Byways and Highways of Old England. ... Old English (also called Anglo-Penis[1], Englisc by its speakers) is an early form of the English language that was spoken in parts of what is now England and southern Scotland between the mid-fifth century and the mid-twelfth century. ... Barter is a type of trade in which goods or services are exchanged for other goods and/or services; no money is involved in the transaction. ...

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 then the North Wilts canal in 1819. They brought trade to the area, and Swindon's population started to grow. A Watt steam engine, the steam engine that propelled the Industrial Revolution in Britain and the world. ... The Wilts and Berks Canal is a canal, originally in Wiltshire and Berkshire, England. ...

David Murray John tower, seen from the Westcott Rec.

In 1840, Isambard Kingdom Brunel chose Swindon as the site for the large Swindon railway works he planned for the Great Western Railway. The works at a point of the line where locos would have to be changed. Eastwards towards London the line was gently graded, while westwards there was a steep descent towards Bath. Swindon was also at the junction of a proposed line to Gloucester. Image File history File links Swindon-DMJ-tower-from-rec. ... Image File history File links Swindon-DMJ-tower-from-rec. ... The history of government in Swindon has its origins in the Middle Ages. ... Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS (9 April 1806 – 15 September 1859) (IPA: ), was a British engineer. ... Swindon railway works was built by the Great Western Railway in 1840 in the town of Swindon in the English county of Wiltshire. ... The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... , Bath is a small city in Somerset, England most famous for its historic baths fed by three hot springs. ... This article is about the city of Gloucester in England; for other uses see Gloucester (disambiguation). ...

Swindon Junction station opened in 1842 – and, until 1895, every passing train stopped here for at least 10 minutes to change locomotives. As a result, the station hosted the first recorded railway refreshment rooms. Divided according to class, Swindonians for a time were proud that even the current King and Queen of the time had partaken of refreshments there. There were three storeys to the station in 1842, with the refreshment rooms on the ground floor – and the upper floors housing the station hotel and lounge. That building was demolished in 1972 – and an office building with a one-storey modern station under it. Swindon railway station is a railway station serving the town of Swindon in Wiltshire in England. ... A Swindonian is a person who inhabits, or originates from, Swindon, England. ... A hardwood floor (parquetry) is a popular feature in many houses. ... A hardwood floor (parquetry) is a popular feature in many houses. ...

The town's railway works were finished in 1842. The 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 Steam Railway Museum now occupies part of the old works. In the village were the GWR Medical Fund Clinic at Park House and its Hospital, both on Faringdon Road and 1892's Health Centre in Milton Road – which housed clinics, a pharmacy, laundries, baths, Turkish baths and swimming pools – was almost opposite. From 1871, GWR workers each week had a small amount deducted from their pay and put into a fund – 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 – and even a bath – for a patient. The cradle-to-grave extent of this service was later used as a blueprint for the NHS.^[2][3] The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ... Steam railway trains are hard to make and and put together some times you can get burnt and hurt that why some works make arms and legs for the people ... The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ... The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ... “NHS” redirects here. ...

The Mechanics Institute, formed in 1844, moved into a building, looking not unlike a church – although it included a covered market – on May 1 1855. The New Swindon Improvement Company, a co-operative had 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 — outside London — that transformed the railway's workforce into some of the country's best-educated manual workers.^[4] Some claim that GWR Chief Engineer Daniel Gooch had got the railway to fund the Institute^[5] The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ...

It offered the aspiring poor the UK's first lending library,^[6] 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.^[7]

When TB 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 GWR Medical Society Fund, which the Institute had played a role in establishing and funding.^[8] The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ...

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 & Southwestern Railway with the London, Midland and Scottish 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 railway ran, instead, into Swindon Town station, off Devizes Road in the Old Town – later skirting the new town to the west, intersecting with the GWR at Rushey Platt and heading north for Cirencester, Cheltenham and the LMS, whose 'Midland Red' livery, the M&SWJR adopted. 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 Junction station, leaving the Old Town station with only the line south to Andover and Salisbury^[9][10][11] 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. A British railway created in 1884 by the amalgamation of two earlier railways - the Swindon, Marlborough & Andover Railway and the Swindon & Cheltenham Extension Railway. ... The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS1) was a British railway company. ... The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ... Cirencester is a market town in Gloucestershire, England, 93 miles (150 km) west northwest of London. ... For the parliamentary constituency, see Cheltenham (UK Parliament constituency). ... The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS1) was a British railway company. ... Swindon railway station is a railway station serving the town of Swindon in Wiltshire in England. ... is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

During the second half of the 19th century a new town (Swindon New Town) had grown around the mainline between London and Bristol – and the Old Town, the original market town merged with its newer neighbour at the bottom of the hill to become a single Swindon.

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 Evening Star, the last steam engine to be built in the UK^[12] 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. British Railways BR standard class 9F number 92220, named Evening Star, is a preserved British railway locomotive. ... This article is about the defunct entity British Railways, which later traded as British Rail. The History of rail transport in Great Britain is covered in its own article. ...

In 1997 Swindon was named the fastest growing settlement in the world.

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. Priory Vale is the third and final instalment in the Northern Expansion of Swindon, which began with Abbey Meads and continued at St Andrews Ridge. ...

In 2002 the New Swindon Company was formed with the remit to regenerate the town centre,^[13] reflecting Swindon's regional status.

Geography and climate

A map of Swindon from 1933

The town itself has a total area of approximately 40 km² (25.33 mi²). Image File history File links Size of this preview: 708 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1360 × 1152 pixel, file size: 224 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 708 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1360 × 1152 pixel, file size: 224 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ...

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. For the usage in virology, see temperate (virology). ...

• ( 51°33′51″N, 1°46′15″W)
• grid reference SU150850
• Nearby towns and cities: Calne, Chippenham, Wootton Bassett, Cirencester, Cricklade, Highworth, Marlborough
• Nearby villages: Aldbourne, Blunsdon, Chiseldon, Hook, Lambourn, Liddington, Lydiard Millicent, Purton, Ramsbury, 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, Haydon Meadow, Okus Quarry and Old Town Railway Cutting.

The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude. ... , Calne is a town located in central Wiltshire, in the South West England region of the United Kingdom. ... Statistics Population: 30,000 Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: ST919733 Administration District: North Wiltshire Shire county: Wiltshire Region: South West England Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: Wiltshire Services Police force: Wiltshire Constabulary Fire and rescue: Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service Ambulance: Great Western Post office... Wootton Bassett is a small market town located west of Swindon in the English county of Wiltshire. ... Cirencester is a market town in Gloucestershire, England, 93 miles (150 km) west northwest of London. ... , Cricklade is a small town in north Wiltshire in England, on the River Thames, situated midway between Swindon and Cirencester. ... Highworth is a small market town in the unitary authority of Swindon in Wiltshire, England, located about six miles north-east of Swindon town centre. ... Marlborough is a market town in the English county of Wiltshire on the Old Bath Road, the old main road from London to Bath. ... Church of St. ... Broad Blunsdon is a village in Wiltshire, south west England, located north of Swindon on the A419 road and easily accessible from junctions 15 and 16 of the M4 motorway. ... Chiseldon is a village in Wiltshire, United Kingdom. ... A small village between the town of Wootton Bassett and the village of Purton, just north of the M4 Motorway. ... Lambourn is a small market town and civil parish in the northwestern corner of the ceremonial county of Berkshire in England. ... Liddington is a village near Swindon in Wiltshire Categories: | ... Purton is a small village in North Wiltshire with a current population of about 4,000. ... Ramsbury is a village and civil parish in the English county of Wiltshire. ... Wanborough is a village to the south-east of Swindon, Wiltshire, UK. The name is thought to derive from Wain, i. ... , Wroughton is a large village in Wiltshire in the South West England region of the UK. It is part of the Borough of Swindon and is situated some 7 km (4 miles) southeast of Swindon. ... Avebury Henge and Village Avebury is the site of a large henge and several stone circles in the English county of Wiltshire at grid reference SU103699, surrounding the village of Avebury (its geographical location is 51°25′43″N, 1°51′15″W). ... Barbury Castle is an Iron Age hill fort situated in Wiltshire, England. ... The pumping station viewed from the canal; showing tunnel under railway, boilerhouse, enginehouse and chimney Wilton Water, the canal and railway from the pumping station The boilerhouse The beam gallery with the 1812 engine in operation Crofton Pumping Station is a pumping station, located near the village of Great Bedwyn... Silbury Hill Silbury Hill (grid reference SU100685), part of the complex of Neolithic monuments around Avebury in the English county of Wiltshire (which includes the West Kennet Long Barrow), is the tallest prehistoric man-made mound in Europe and one of the worlds largest. ... For other uses, see Stonehenge (disambiguation). ... As seen from an altitude of 2000 feet, from the cockpit of a glider The Uffington White Horse is a highly stylised hillfigure, 374 feet (110m) long, cut out of the turf on the upper slopes of Uffington Castle, an Iron Age hill fort near The Ridgeway, in southern England. ... A Site of Special Scientific Interest or SSSI is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. ... The concrete diving board at Coate, built 1935 Coate Water (grid reference SU188820) is a country park in the south-east of Swindon, near Junction 15 of the M4. ... Great Quarry, Swindon (grid reference SU151836) is a 0. ... Haydon Meadow (grid reference SU120890) is a 6. ... Okus Quarry (grid reference SU147836) is a 2,500 square metre geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Wiltshire, notified in 1951. ... Old Town Railway Cutting, Swindon (grid reference SU153832) is a 1. ...

Government

A Swindon-built locomotive (Hagley Hall) on display in the eating area of the McArthur Glen Designer Outlet, Swindon.

Further information: 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, but renamed in 1997 because the Borough of Swindon) has a much larger area as it encompasses villages and land. The borough became a unitary authority on 1 April 1998, following a review by Local Government Commission for England. The town is therefore no longer under the auspices of Wiltshire County Council. A Swindon-built train on display in the McArthur Glen Designer Outlet, Swindon. ... A Swindon-built train on display in the McArthur Glen Designer Outlet, Swindon. ... The history of government in Swindon has its origins in the Middle Ages. ... The article on the town of Swindon is here. ... A unitary authority is a type of local authority, which has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area. ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Map showing counties and unitary authorities from 1998. ...

The executive comprises a leader (Cllr Rod Bluh), and a cabinet made up from the Conservative Group. The makeup of the council is Conservative 43 councillors, Labour 12, Liberal Democrat 3 and 1 (previously Labour) independent. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is currently the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), the largest in terms of public membership, and the oldest political party in the United Kingdom. ... The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom. ... The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal political party based in the United Kingdom. ...

Swindon is represented in the 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 a lot of what is now in Swindon was then in the Devizes seat. Type Bicameral Houses House of Commons House of Lords Speaker of the House of Commons Michael Martin MP Lord Speaker Hélène Hayman, PC Members 1377 (646 Commons, 731 Peers) Political groups Labour Party Conservative Party Liberal Democrats Scottish National Party Plaid Cymru Democratic Unionist Party Sinn Féin... Anne Christine Snelgrove (born August 7, 1957, Wokingham) is the Labour MP for Swindon South. ... South Swindon is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Michael David Wills (born 20 May 1952) is a politician in the United Kingdom. ... North Swindon is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ...

Demographics

At the census of 2001, there were 180,051 people and 75,154 occupied houses in the Swindon Unitary Authority.^[14] The average household size was 2.38 people. The population density was 780/km² (2020.19/mi²). 20.96% of the population were 0 to 15 years old, 72.80% were 16 to 74 years old, 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.

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. Of the population, 92.4% were born in the UK, 2.7% in the EU, and 4.9% elsewhere in the world. More people have joined the Hare Krishna movement in Swindon than in any other English town. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1536x1152, 475 KB) Summary Picture of the canal that I have taken today. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1536x1152, 475 KB) Summary Picture of the canal that I have taken today. ... The Wilts and Berks Canal is a canal, originally in Wiltshire and Berkshire, England. ... Hare Krishna Mantra in Devanagari The Hare Krishna mantra, also referred to reverentially as the Maha Mantra (Great Mantra), is a sixteen-word Vaishnava mantra made well known outside of India by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (commonly known as the Hare Krishnas)[1]. It is believed by practitioners...

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. Mondex is a smart card electronic cash system which was developed originally by National Westminster Bank and subsequently sold to MasterCard International. ...

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.^[15]

In May 2007, 65.3% of households in Swindon had broadband Internet access, the highest in the UK – and up 5.5% from June 2006.^[16] A WildBlue Satellite Internet dish. ...

A 2007 report by Endsleigh Insurance concluded that the town was the second safest place to live in the UK, beaten only by Guildford in Surrey.^[17] 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"^[17] Endsleigh Insurance is a Cheltenham based UK insurance company specialising in the student and graduate markets. ... , For other places with the same name, see Guildford (disambiguation). ... This article is about the English county. ...

After the end of World War II a significant – unspecified – number of Polish refugees were put up temporarily in barracks at the Fairford RAF base about 25 km (roughly 15 miles) north of Swindon. In about 1950, some of them settled in Scotland and others in Swindon^[18] rather than stay in the barracks or hostels they were offered.^[19] The 2001 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.^[20] Data from that census showed that 566 Swindonians were Poland-born.^[21] 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 POWs...The first generation took pains to ensure that their children grew up with a strong sense of Polish identity.’ In 2004, NHS planners devising services for senior citizens estimated that 5 percent of Swindon’s population were not ‘ethnically British’^[22] 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.^[23] Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... “RAF” redirects here. ... Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ... “NHS” redirects here. ...

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 which has its distribution centre and headquarters in Swindon. The computer company Intel has its European head office on the south side of the town and 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 US-based Cardinal Health's have their UK divisions headquartered in the town. Several of the UK's Science Research Councils have their head offices in Polaris House, near the rail station. Swindon is also the location of two Tyco Electronics (a division of Tyco International) sites, based in Dorcan and Cheney Manor. The household products division of consumer goods supplier Reckitt Benckiser – best known for dishwasher detergents, disinfectants and cold remedies^[24] – has its headquarters in Swindon. This article is about the Japanese motor corporation. ... For other uses, see BMW (disambiguation). ... For the new MINI, see MINI (BMW). ... Motorola Inc. ... Dolby Laboratories, Incorporated (Dolby Labs) is a company specializing in audio compression and reproduction. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC, SEHK: 4335), founded in 1968 as Integrated Electronics Corporation, is an American multinational corporation that is best known for designing and manufacturing microprocessors and specialized integrated circuits. ... Nationwide Building Society is a major UK building society, the largest one in the world, and has its headquarters in Swindon, Wiltshire. ... Zurich Financial Services Group is a major financial services group based in Zurich, Switzerland. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... Cardinal Health (NYSE: CAH) is a premier, global healthcare company dedicated to making healthcare safer and more productive. ... The Research Councils of the UK are government agencies responsible for particular areas of science and technology. ... Tyco International Ltd. ... Reckitt Benckiser plc is one of the worlds leading manufacturers of cleaning products and a member of the FTSE 100 Index of the largest companies traded on the London Stock Exchange. ...

Transport

The Magic Roundabout

Main article: Transport in Swindon

Lying on the junction of two Roman roads, the town has developed over the centuries with the assistance of the Great Western Railway and the Canals into a transport hub. It has two junctions (15 and 16) onto the M4 motorway and lies on the GWR mainline to London. Image File history File links Swindon_Magic_Roundabout_eng. ... Image File history File links Swindon_Magic_Roundabout_eng. ... Transport in Swindon and the surroundings have directly contributed to the towns growth and the ingress of Businesses and Industries. ... The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ... For other uses, see Canal (disambiguation). ... The M4 motorway is a motorway in Great Britain linking London with Wales. ...

Swindon has two bus operators - Thamesdown and Stagecoach. The local council acknowledges the need for more car parking as part of its vision for 2010.^[25]

The town is notable for its roundabouts, to the extent of selling yearly calendars featuring a different roundabout for each month.^[26] The best known roundabout is the 'Magic Roundabout' at the junction of Drove Road, Queens Drive and Fleming Way near the County Ground. A roundabout is a type of road junction at which traffic enters a one-way stream around a central island. ... The large roundabout and two mini roundabouts The Magic Roundabout in Swindon, England, was constructed in 1972 and consists of one large roundabout containing 5 mini-roundabouts. ... The County Ground is a football stadium located near the town centre of Swindon, England. ...

The official name of this roundabout used to be County Islands, although hardly anyone other than officials called it by this name. This name was changed in the late 1990s to match its popular name. It is the subject of the song English Roundabout by local band XTC from the album English Settlement. XTC are an influential new wave band from Swindon, England. ... The term Glorious Revolution refers to the generally popular overthrow of James II of England in 1688. ...

Tourism and recreation

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.
• The Steam Railway Museum shows Swindon's part in the history of the Great Western Railway.
• McArthur Glen Designer Outlet is an indoor shopping mall for reduced price designer goods, using the buildings of the disused railway engine works. The Outlet is adjacent to the Steam Museum.
• The Link Centre and the Oasis are leisure centres.
• Broome Manor Golf Complex is a golf course set against the backdrop of the Marlborough Downs.
• Public parks include Lydiard Country Park, Stanton Park, Barbury Castle, Queens Park and Coate Water.
• Shaw Community Forest is being developed on the site of a former landfill site in West Swindon.
• The National Monuments Record Centre is in Swindon, the home of English Heritage.
• The Wyvern theatre is managed by Hetherington Seeling Theatres Ltd. for the council. It closed for £1.3 million remedial work carried out by Swindon Council since September 2006 after the discovery of asbestos in what was built in 1971 as a municipal prestige project.^[27] It is scheduled to re-open on 25 September 2007 with a production of The Business Of Murder, with Grange Hill and EastEnders star Todd Carty.^[28] The revamped theatre is to invite the public in for a free visit from 21 September to 23 September 2007.
• The 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.
• Swindon hosts an annual mela in the Town Gardens, the event attracts up to 10,000 visitors every year.^[29]

McArthur Glen Designer Outlet shopping centre, Swindon. ... McArthur Glen Designer Outlet shopping centre, Swindon. ... The McArthur Glen Swindon Designer Outlet is Europes largest covered Designer Outlet, occupying restored Great Western railway works, near Swindon town centre. ... The Wilts and Berks Canal is a canal, originally in Wiltshire and Berkshire, England. ... Steam railway trains are hard to make and and put together some times you can get burnt and hurt that why some works make arms and legs for the people ... The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ... The McArthur Glen Swindon Designer Outlet is Europes largest covered Designer Outlet, occupying restored Great Western railway works, near Swindon town centre. ... Steam railway trains are hard to make and and put together some times you can get burnt and hurt that why some works make arms and legs for the people ... The North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is located in the English counties of Berkshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire. ... Horses at Lydiard Park Lydiard Park is a 260 acre country park in south-west Swindon, near Junction 16 of the M4. ... Queens Park is a public park, located near the Regent Circus area of Swindon town centre. ... Coate Water is a country park on the south-east outskirts of Swindon, near Junction 15 of the M4. ... The standard of English Heritage English Heritage is a non-departmental public body of the United Kingdom government (Department for Culture, Media and Sport) with a broad remit of managing the historic environment of England. ... is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Grange Hill is a British childrens television drama series which is shown on BBC One. ... EastEnders is a popular BBC television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC1 on 19 February 1985[4] and continuing to date. ... Todd Carty (born 31 August 1963) is an Irish actor. ... is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... For Mela Festivals today, see Mela Festival. ...

Media

Print

King George V pulling the 'Bristolian' passenger train at the Swindon Steam Railway Museum.

Swindon has a daily evening newspaper, the Swindon Advertiser, with sales of 21,856 per week. Other newspapers circulating in the area include Bristol's daily Western Daily Press and the Adver's weekly, the Gazette and Herald. There are numerous other local magazines, including the Swindon Star, Stratton Outlook, Swindon Link magazine, Frequency, an arts and cultural magazine, and the Swindon Business News. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2560 × 1920 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2560 × 1920 pixel, file size: 2. ... Steam railway trains are hard to make and and put together some times you can get burnt and hurt that why some works make arms and legs for the people ... A selection of newspapers A newspaper is a publication containing news and information and advertising, usually printed on low-cost paper called newsprint. ... The Swindon Advertiser (affectionately known by locals as the Adver)is a daily tabloid newspaper, published in Swindon. ... This article is about the English city. ... The Western Daily Press is a regional newspaper covering South West England, and is published Monday to Saturday in Bristol, UK. The majority of its readers are in rural areas, small towns and villages throughout the region and the papers coverage of rural, agricultural and countryside issues is particularly... The Swindon Advertiser (affectionately known by locals as the Adver)is a daily tabloid newspaper, published in Swindon. ... The Gazette and Herald is a local weekly paid-for newspaper, established in 1816. ...

Radio

Local Radio stations broadcasting to the town include GWR FM Wiltshire and the more locally-focused Brunel FM in the commercial sector, with BBC Radio Swindon as a publicly funded alternative. An AM station, Classic Gold 936/1161 exists as well, but only includes local programming in the late afternoon. GWR FM serves north and west Wiltshire. ... For the regional Classic Gold station, Brunel Radio see Brunel Classic Gold Brunel FM is a UK new radio station broadcasting to the town of Swindon and outside areas of close proximity, it is part of The Local Radio Company group of stations. ... BBC Radio Swindon is the BBC Local Radio service for the English town of Swindon. ... AM broadcasting is radio broadcasting using Amplitude Modulation. ... Classic Gold Logo in Bristol and Bath Classic Gold Logo in Swindon and West Wiltshire For the local Swindon radio station of a similar name see Brunel FM Classic Gold is the regional Classic Gold station in the west of England. ...

Television

Between 1973 and June 2000 Swindon had its own cable television channel. At first, it was 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's Local Channel, which included pay-per-view films.^[30] NTL (later Virgin Media) took over the channel's parent company, ComTel, and pulled the plug on the station permanently. Radio Rentals United Kingdom logo that was used in the 1990s Radio Rentals was formed in 1932 to rent out radio sets. ... Station ident Swindon Cable was the first Cable Television network in the United Kingdom. ... Virgin Media Inc. ...

Regional news programmes covering Swindon include Thames Valley Tonight and The West Tonight from regional ITV1 stations and South Today (Oxford) and Points West from BBC One's regional variants. ITV Thames Valley is the expected name of ITVs new region covering the Thames Valley area of the United Kingdom. ... The West Tonight is the flagship news programme in the ITV West region. ... ITV1 is the name, in England, Wales and the Scottish borders, for a terrestrial, free-to-air television channel, broadcast in the United Kingdom by the ITV network. ... As with most of the BBCs regional news programmes, the titles are designed by Lambie-Nairn. ... The current Points West programme titles are designed by Lambie-Nairn. ... For the BBC radio station, see BBC Radio 1. ...

Film and TV Location

[[Image:Swindon-view.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The Mechanics Institute] Historically, Mechanics Institutes were educational establishments formed to provide adult education, particularly in technical subjects, to working people. ...

In 1987 Dirk Bogarde and Lee Remick were at the Windmill Hill Business Park in West Swindon to film scenes for a one-off TV drama called "The Vision".

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, eventually stopping at a bathroom window at a house in Falconscroft, Covingham. Benylin This is a powerful cough mixture that has a chemical that stops the coughing reflex. ...

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 and the town centre. This article is about the Japanese motor corporation. ...

The long running television series Casualty has used Swindon locations for two of it's 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". , Wroughton is a large village in Wiltshire in the South West England region of the UK. It is part of the Borough of Swindon and is situated some 7 km (4 miles) southeast of Swindon. ...

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

In addition to numerous primary and secondary schools, Swindon is home to two separate colleges - New College and Swindon College who both provide higher education to the town. The "University of Bath in Swindon" was established in 2000, with its Oakfield Campus in Walcot, East Swindon. Swindon College has a £17m brand new campus at North Star, with state-of-the-art facilities. ... The University of Bath is a campus university located near Bath, England. ...

Museums and cultural institutions

• Museum of Computing Oakfield Campus, University of Bath in Swindon, Marlowe Avenue.
• National Museum of Science & Industry, Wroughton
• Railway Village Museum
• Richard Jefferies Museum is dedicated to the memory of one of England's most individual writers on nature and the countryside.
• Steam Railway Museum
• Swindon Arts Centre is a theatre and cinema venue, gallery, and meeting place for arts-related activities.
• Wyvern Theatre is the town's principal stage venue
• Swindon Museum and Art Gallery

Science Museum Swindon in Wroughton, Wiltshire is part of the National Museum of Science and Industry. ... , Wroughton is a large village in Wiltshire in the South West England region of the UK. It is part of the Borough of Swindon and is situated some 7 km (4 miles) southeast of Swindon. ... Coate Water is a country park on the south-east outskirts of Swindon, near Junction 15 of the M4. ... Steam railway trains are hard to make and and put together some times you can get burnt and hurt that why some works make arms and legs for the people ...

Sport

[[Image:STFC-County-Ground-Stratton-Bank.JPG|thumb|350px|right|The Stratton Bank on a sunny match day]] The County Ground is a football stadium located near the town centre of Swindon, England. ...

• Swindon Robins - Speedway team competing in the Elite League.

The team has operated at the Abbey Stadium, Blunsdon since the middle of 1949 when they took over from Hull. Speedway operated at a track in the Gorse Hill area of Swindon in the pioneer days of the sport.(late 1920s/early 1930s.) The Swindon Speedway team, known as the Swindon Robins, is an English Speedway team established in 1949 that competes in the Elite League. ...

• Swindon Town F.C. - Football team playing in Football League One at the 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
• Swindon Wildcats - Ice hockey team, who play at the 6000 capacity Link Centre along with the Swindon Panthers (Ice Hockey) and the Swindon Sonics (Basketball).
• Swindon RFC - Amateur Rugby Union Club based in Swindon.
• [1] - Swindon Road Club, Cycling Club based in Swindon.
• Foxhill, an internationally renowned motocross circuit is situated six miles south east of the town. The circuit has staged many Grand Prix events in the past, and has been cited as the venue for the British Motocross Grand Prix in 2008.

Swindon Town Football Club is an English football club based in Swindon, Wiltshire. ... There are several stadiums in England called the County Ground: County Ground, Derby - home of Derbyshire CCC County Ground, Durham (better known as the Riverside Ground) - home of Durham CCC County Ground, Northampton - home of Northamptonshire CCC County Ground, Swindon - home of Swindon Town F.C. This is a disambiguation... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Highworth Town F.C. is a football club based in Swindon, England. ... Highworth is a small market town in the unitary authority of Swindon in Wiltshire, England, located about six miles north-east of Swindon town centre. ... For the 5th century BC league of Greek city states, see Delian League. ... League: EPIHL Founded: 1986 Home Ice: Link Centre Capacity: 1250 Ice Size: 184ft x 85ft City: Swindon, United Kingdom Colours: White, Teal, and Grey Captain: Wayne Fiddes Head Coach: Peter Russell Ownership: Private Limited Company (Swindon Wildcats Limited) Website: swindonwildcats. ... The Link Centre is a leisure centre in Swindon, England. ... Foxhill is a well-known motocross circuit situated near to the small village of Foxhill, around six miles south east of Swindon, Wiltshire. ... Motocross traditionally took place (and still does) in wet weather, leading to muddy scenes like this and hence the term Scrambling. Photo from New Zealand. ...

Twin towns

Swindon is twinned with - Sign denoting twin towns of Neckarsulm, Germany Town twinning is a concept whereby towns or cities in geographically and politically distinct areas are paired with the goal of fostering human contact and cultural links. ...

• Salzgitter, Germany (1975)^[31]
• Ocotal, Nicaragua (1990)^[31][32]
• Toruń, Poland (2006)^[31]
• Chattanooga, USA (2006)^[33]

Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... Salzgitter is a city in southeast Lower Saxony, Germany, located between Hildesheim and Braunschweig. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Nicaragua. ... Ocotal is the capital of the department of Nueva Segovia in Nicaragua, Central America, located within the municipality of Ocotal. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Poland. ... Motto: Durabo (lat. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Chattanooga is a city located in United States of America. ...

Swindon 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 novel The Boscombe Valley Mystery. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time is a novel by Mark Haddon that won the 2003 Whitbread Book of the Year and the 2004 Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best First Book. ... Mark Haddon Mark Haddon is a novelist and poet, best known for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. ... Thursday Next is the protagonist in the series of novels by Jasper Fforde. ... Jasper Fforde (born in London on 11 January 1961) is a novelist and aviator living in Wales. ... Arthur Conan Doyle Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (May 22, 1859 - July 7, 1930) is the British author most famously known for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, which are generally considered a major innovation in the field of crime fiction. ... A portrait of Sherlock Holmes by Sidney Paget from the Strand Magazine, 1891 Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, who first appeared in publication in 1887. ... The Boscombe Valley Mystery, one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is the fourth of the twelve stories in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. ...

Robert Goddard's Into the Blue, Out of the Sun and most recently "Never Go Back" all 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 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 recognisable maps of the Swindon area. A Touch of Frost is a detective television series produced by Yorkshire Television for ITV in the United Kingdom. ... Sir David John White, OBE known by his stage name David Jason (born 2 February 1940) is a highly regarded English actor, admired equally for his dramatic work as for his comedy roles. ...

The British television comedy 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 word comedy has a classical meaning (comical theatre) and a popular one (the use of humor with an intent to provoke laughter in general). ... This article is about the various versions of the television series The Office, comparing the UK, US, French, German, and French Canadian versions. ... Slough (pronounced ) is a town and unitary authority (Borough of Slough) in England. ...

The town was also 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 Comic Strip is a group of British comedians, best known collectively for their television series The Comic Strip Presents. ... Richard Michael Rik Mayall (born 7 March 1958) is an English comedian and actor. ... Adrian Charles Edmondson (born 24 January 1957) is an English actor, comedian, director, and writer. ...

The British television series Red Dwarf also 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?" For the type of star, see Red dwarf. ... Epideme was the seventh episode to air in the seventh series of Red Dwarf. ... For the origami historian, see David Lister (Origami Historian). ...

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. Absolutely is a British television comedy sketch show shown on Channel 4 from 1989 to 1993. ...

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 Glorious, the San Francisco-based audience fails to recognise the reference and he makes light of this: Edward John Eddie Izzard (born February 7, 1962) is an English[1] stand-up comedian and actor, known for his cross-dressing. ... Eddie Izzard performing live on Glorious. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ...

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, Glorious (1997)^[34]

Swindon has been referred to in television programmes including The Brittas Empire, A Touch of Frost, Jonathan Creek, The Missing Postman and Eastenders.

Actress Diana Dors was born in Swindon in 1931 Diana Dors (October 23, 1931 – May 4, 1984) was an English actress and sex symbol. ...

James Bond

• James Bond author Ian Fleming is buried in the Borough at Sevenhampton.
• Two James Bond films have used Swindon for scenes.^[35]
  • The former Renault building in West Swindon was used in A View to a Kill (released 1985).^[36]
  • 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).

Ian Lancaster Fleming (May 28, 1908 – August 12, 1964) was a British author, journalist and Second World War Navy Commander. ... Sevenhampton is a small village in Wiltshire, England, to the north-east of Swindon. ... 007 redirects here. ... A View to a Kill is a 1985 spy film. ... Motorola Inc. ... For other uses, see The World Is Not Enough (disambiguation). ...

Swindon references in music

• The rock band XTC, the notable rock-pop group 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, the lead singer of the rock 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 centre).
• Singer-songwriter Robyn Hitchcock's song Ride refers to Swindon.
• A track on Venetian Snares' album Cavalcade of Glee and Dadaist Happy Hardcore Pom Poms is named Swindon.
• Spinal Tap's Diva Fever refers to Swindon – as well as London and Waterloo.
• 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).
• 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. The song – written after the band played a gig in town – gently mocks the Swindon accent.
• Actress and Singer Billie Piper was born in Swindon in 1982

XTC are an influential new wave band from Swindon, England. ... Shriekback is a rock band formed in the early 1980s by Barry Andrews, formerly of XTC and League of Gentlemen (keyboards/synthesizers/vocals), Carl Marsh (guitars/vocals), and Dave Allen, formerly of the Gang of Four (bass). ... XTC are an influential new wave band from Swindon, England. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Noel Thomas David Gallagher (born May 29, 1967 in Longsight, Manchester, England) is an English songwriter, guitarist and occasional vocalist with the Manchester rock band Oasis. ... Oasis are an English rock band, formed in Manchester in 1991, led by lead guitarist and primary songwriter Noel Gallagher and his younger brother, lead vocalist and songwriter Liam Gallagher. ... The Inspiral Carpets is an alternative rock band from Oldham in Greater Manchester, England formed by Graham Lambert in 1986. ... Robyn Rowan Hitchcock (born March 3, 1953) is a singer-songwriter, psych folk artist, and occasional actor. ... Venetian Snares is the primary performing alias of Canadian electronic musician Aaron Funk (born January 11, 1975). ... Cavalcade Of Glee And Dadaist Happy Hardcore Pom Poms is an IDM album by Venetian Snares. ... For other uses, see Spinal Tap (disambiguation). ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Waterloo The top of the knoll and the famous lion. ... This article is about the band. ... Breakfast in America is the sixth album by the band Supertramp, released in 1979. ... The Swindon Advertiser (affectionately known by locals as the Adver)is a daily tabloid newspaper, published in Swindon. ... The Moody Blues are a British rock band originally from Birmingham, England. ... For other persons named Hayward, see Hayward (disambiguation). ... Nights in White Satin is a 1967 song by The Moody Blues, first featured on the album Days of Future Passed. ... Meat Beat Manifesto, often shortened to Meat Beat or MBM, is an electronic music outfit originally consisting of Jack Dangers and Jonny Stephens formed in 1987 in Swindon, UK. This was also the hometown of the band XTC, who helped Meat Beat get started. ... The Barron Knights were a British comedy pop group who came to fame in 1964 with the number “Call up the Groups” which overcame copyright restrictions and parodied a number of the leading pop groups of the time including The Searchers, Freddie and the Dreamers, The Dave Clark... Billie Paul Piper (born Leanne Paul Piper[1] on 22 September 1982) is an British actress. ...

Notable Swindonians

Further information: List of notable Swindonians

A Swindonian is a person who inhabits, or originates from, Swindon, England. ...

References

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 9th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 204th day of the year (205th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 204th day of the year (205th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 204th day of the year (205th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 204th day of the year (205th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 204th day of the year (205th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 204th day of the year (205th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 204th day of the year (205th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 202nd day of the year (203rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 9th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 9th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Swindon Advertiser (affectionately known by locals as the Adver)is a daily tabloid newspaper, published in Swindon. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 204th day of the year (205th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 204th day of the year (205th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 205th day of the year (206th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 202nd day of the year (203rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 202nd day of the year (203rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 202nd day of the year (203rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Swindon Advertiser (affectionately known by locals as the Adver)is a daily tabloid newspaper, published in Swindon. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 202nd day of the year (203rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 9th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 9th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• List of places in Swindon
• Swindon Civic Trust

This is a list of areas, tourist attractions and other places of interest in the English town of Swindon. ... The Swindon Civic Trust is a voluntary organisation and registered charity established in Swindon, England in 2001. ...

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

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Swindon.

• SwindonWeb Award-winning website dedicated to Swindon
• Swindon.gov.uk Official Borough Council website
• BBC Wiltshire BBC site for Wiltshire & Swindon (includes Historic Swindon section)
• Swindon Link Magazine For North and West Swindon
• Swindon Live Happening now in Swindon
• Priory Vale Community website for this area of North Swindon
• Visit Swindon Tourism website
• New Swindon Company regeneration plans for the town centre
• Swindon Forum
• Frequency Magazine the online presence of Swindon's Arts and Cultural Magazine

v • d • e Wiltshire
Districts:	Kennet • North Wiltshire • Salisbury • West Wiltshire
Unitary authorities:	Swindon
Main Settlements:	Amesbury • Bradford on Avon • Calne • Chippenham • Corsham • Devizes • Malmesbury • Market Lavington • Marlborough • Pewsey • Ramsbury • Salisbury • Swindon • Tidworth • Tisbury • Trowbridge (County Town) • Warminster • Westbury • Wilton
Topics:	Flag • History • Lords Lieutenant • Parishes • Places • People