Then And Now

This section of the site is provided in partnership with The Swindon Society and The Richard Jefferies Society. It enables you to see how the surrounding area used to look and learn more about your town. We are adding value by providing a current photograph taken as far as possible from the same position. The project involves a fair bit of detective work, so if you can add or correct information, please get in touch. This is your site, so if you would like to get involved in extending this project, please let us know.

Title Description Datesort icon
Deacon Street, View of St Mark's Church 1885

The view down from Deacon Street to New Swindon, The field with haystacks is now the area of Curtis Street. Early residents of New Swindon had to trudge over a mile up muddy hill tracks to old town to obtain provisions

 July 1, 1885 Then
Corporation Street: Lower Eastcott Farm 1885

On a corner site which later became Swindon Corporation Electricity Works

 July 1, 1885 Then
Sanford Street, Congregational Chapel, 1885

This corrugated iron building The Pembroke chapel, was brought from Clifton in Bristol and erected on this site in 1877. A new chapel with room for 550 was built later in 1894 on the same site but was demolished in the 1970's.

 July 1, 1885 Then
High Street, Market Square Old Town, 1886

Declaration of the poll for the General Election in June 1886. This was for the Cricklade and North Wilts. Constituency as Swindon did not have its own MP until 1918. Elected was Nevil Story Maskelyne, Liberal Unionist.

 June 1, 1886 Then
Mechanics Theatre

The Theatre in the Mechanics Institution was considered the finest in the South West for many years

 January 1, 1890 Then