Swindon

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Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, 40 miles (64 km) west and Reading, 40 miles (64 km) east. London is 81 miles (130 km) east. In the 2001 census, the population of the Swindon urban area was 155,432, while the wider borough of Swindon had a population of 184,000.

Swindon was named an Expanded Town under the Town Development Act 1952 and this led to a major increase in its population. Swindon railway station is on the line from London Paddington to Bristol. Swindon Borough Council, is a unitary authority independent of Wiltshire Council since 1997. Residents of Swindon are known as Swindonians. Swindon is home to the Bodleian Library's book depository, which contains 153 miles of bookshelves.

History

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, believed to be derived from the Anglo-Saxon wordsswine and dun meaning 'pig hill' or possibly, 'Sweyn's hill', where Sweyn would be the local landlord.

Source

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Museums in Swindon

Steam, The Museum of the Great Western Railway

Science Museum at Wroughton The Science Museum at Wroughton is home to the Science Museums  big-object store and its Library and Archive.

The Swindon Museum and Art Gallery

Swindon and Cricklade RailwayThe railway's passenger line offers a round trip of  approx four miles. There are stations at Blunsdon and Hayes Knoll, and  extensions towards  Cricklade in the north and Swindon in the south. We are working to  extend the line to a new station in Mouldon Hill Country Park in Swindon.