Swindon From The Air

10/09/2026

Queenstown Not Kimmerfields is presented by one of Swindon’s wonderful local historians & authors Mr John Stooke.

John’s excellent talk looks back at the historic area of Queenstown in New Swindon and its important role in the development and heritage of our town.

The event forms part of the SWINDON-WIDE HISTORY FESTIVAL and will take place at Swindon’s Zurich building UNITY PLACE, next to the Bus Boulevard, on Thursday September 24th 2026 at 7pm

A modest donation to The Kelly Foundation - Swindon by way of an entry fee will be the only payment required for this evening of historical entertainment and education.

RSVP to j.stooke@btinternet or text 07836609369 to reserve your seats.

10/09/2026

This is brilliant, well done the Richard Jefferies Museum

10/09/2026

A couple of views of the new Wilts & Berks Canal junction at Wichelstowe.
Near the recently installed Bushy Fox pedestrian Swing Bridge this newly formed junction will take the canal in three directions.
In the direction of East Wichel the canal will go under Mill Lane via a tunnel and meet up with an already finished section that will allow you to go through to East Wichel and in years to come along the line of the M4, around the edge of the New Eastern Villages development and through to Acorn Bridges.

The Royal Wootton Bassett route is the most exciting one to watch, as it is hoped within 5 years or so it will offer up a canal journey that will take you between Royal Wootton Bassett and Middle Wichel where the Dragonfly landing stage is.

The third route is in the Swindon direction, it will let boats navigate up through Middle Wichel, under Beavans Bridge and Skew Bridge and eventually on into Swindon’s town centre as part of the 25 year plan.

Wilts & berks canal trust friends and volunteers
Swindon Borough Council
Chloe Dee Ford
Robin Earle

09/09/2026

I was up at Wroughton & Wichelstowe Parish Council this morning for a little wander about and the path down to the lower churchyard was a hive of activity.

The lads pictured were putting a secondary bar on the metal railings down to the lower churchyard.
It would seem that after, I don’t know how many decades (as long as I can remember anyway) that Health & Safety has finally got to the upper reaches of Wroughton and this has been installed to stop people slipping under the railing and disappearing Eddie the Eagle style down the slope to the lower churchyard.

Pictures taken with the kind permission of the chaps involved. (they were chuffed that someone wanted to take a picture)

Wroughton Parish Council

08/09/2026

I really like this, and the Richard Jefferies Museum is a great place to visit.

The ladybird is one of our many helpful wild friends in the community garden, where a patio is being laid and many plants are still flowering.

"The hop farmer should have a lady-bird on his seal ring for his sign and token, for the lady-bird is his great friend. Lady-birds (and their larvæ) destroy myriads of the aphides which cause rust, and a flight of lady-birds should be welcomed as much as a flight of locusts is execrated in other countries."
Field and Hedgerow

08/09/2026

One of the latest additions to the Wilts & Berks Canal has been craned into place recently as part of the ongoing renovation works on the Wichelstowe section.
Bushey Fox Bridge is a pedestrian swing bridge that will allow walkers, cyclists and wheelchair users to cross the canal just before it gets to a new junction. When boats want to come through, the 6 metre long bridge can be swung open on a bearing system to allow them to travel to and from Wichelstowe and navigate in the direction of Swindon, East Wichel or towards a planned tunnel under the M4.

It is hoped that in about 5 years the canal route from Wichelstowe to Royal Wootton Bassett Royal Wootton Bassett will be fully opened.

Just a couple of little facts:
You may be wondering why it is called Bushey Fox Bridge. Bushey Leaze was a small settlement just a few metres south that had a small stone crossing bridge apparently dating to 1803. And Fox are the contractors that have been working on this section of the canal.

The bridge is eco friendly and has used the equivalent of 140 plastic bottles per square metre in it’s construction

Map image courtesy of National Library of Scotland

Robin Earle
Chloe Dee Ford