Swindon

Swindon is a large town in South West England, in the county of Wiltshire. It was originally a small market town, used mainly for barter trade up until 1848. As Swindon grew, this part of the town became known as the ‘Old Town’. This ‘Old Town’ part of Swindon is packed with courtyards and alleyways filled with a mixture of traditional and trendy shops, pubs, cafes and restaurants.

In 1840, with the arrival of the Great Western Railway, Swindon grew rapidly. A whole ‘new’ town was built. It lay between the railway works and Swindon Hill. This ‘new’ town is now modern day Swindon’s town centre. The town centre is also the retail centre of Swindon. Parts of the city centre have been pedestrianised to allow people to enjoy the shops either in the indoor shopping centre or in the surrounding area. Some of the UK’s best known high street names have stores in Swindon’s city centre.

What to do in Swindon

Visit the Steam museum, a museum which tells the story of the impact the Great Western Railway had in the area, including the growth of Swindon in the 1800s. The museum is housed in a restored Grade II listed railway building that was in the heart of the Swindon railway works in its heyday. The museum brings to life the workers and the trains that were an integral part to Swindon’s development.

Swindon Museum & Art Gallery is located in the Old Town. It is home to many displays about the local history in the area as well as one of the best collections of 20th century art by British artists outside London.

Swindon Town Gardens is one of the town’s most attractive and popular places. The gardens are carefully laid out and contain some nice walks lined with trees and colourful flowers. In the summer, local bands and orchestras play in the Victorian bandstand. Concerts are also held in the Town Gardens.

Lydiard House & Park is ancestral home of the Viscounts Bolingbrook. The house contains many of the original furnishings, ornate plasterwork as well as portraits and other paintings collected by the family over the years. The estate also has stunning walled gardens which are definitely worth a walk around.

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Where to stay in Swindon

Swindon is a great place to have a short break away and there are plenty of hotels in Swindon to choose from should you decide to visit. Several well known hotel chains have properties in Swindon including VILLAGE, Best Western, Holiday Inn and more. There are also many B&B’s and Inns should you prefer to support small local businesses.