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Vote for Silbury!
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Littlestone
Littlestone
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Re: Vote for Silbury!
Aug 17, 2005, 19:45
What goes around comes around AQK
re: http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/forum/?thread=18718&message=212158&offset=1200 (30 June 2004) a revised version of which follows -

In my humble opinion Swindon is far from being the 'soulless' place of urban myth and really does not deserve the kind of adverse criticism it gets from those who cant be bothered to walk its hidden paths, parks and alleyways.

The Lawns in Old Town for example is a beautiful and unspoiled park which was formally part of the Goddard Estate. With its springs and ponds The Lawns was probably also a 'sacred site'. Coate Water, with the Downs in the background, is one of the loveliest stretches of water anywhere in the world and now, sadly, under threat of 'development' from Bath University. There are the remains of several stone circles at the back of Coate and Coat itself was once home to Richard Jefferies, the Wiltshire poet and mystic and author of <b>The Old House at Coate</b> which, incidentally, is in the process of being translated into Chinese. The Town Gardens in Old Town, Swindon is a charming example of a Victorian park and Bath Road, with its little museum, is one of the most elegant and sought-after areas in the country. Agreed all this is in Old Town but even in New Town you'll find the wonderful Railway Village, designed and built in local stone by Brunel. The Railway Village, with its church, railway cottages, Mechanics Institute, and the Glue Pot pub (a favourite watering hole of mine when I was a student) is a worthy example of 19th-century industrial philanthropy and attracts visitors from around the world (the Railway Village that is not the Glue Pot :-).

Sure, Swindon has its problems like any other town - not least among them the central library and the above mentioned Mechanics Institute. But if you want to get to know Swindon and have a relaxing weekend in Wiltshire book into the Swindon Marriott (which is just a few minute's drive from Coate and maybe twenty minuets from Avebury). The Swindon Marriott is a great hotel any time of year but in the spring there's a little-know wood out back that's carpeted with bluebells.

PS I'm not a Swindonian but credit for a town where credit's due (and I did vote for Silbury and not the Swindon Rail Works ;-)
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