Improvements to GWR Park – Heritage Action Zone

In 2019, Swindon’s Railway Conservation Area was included in a Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) and a Conservation Management Plan for GWR Park was produced. The Conservation Management Plan recommended a series of actions to restore and enhance GWR Park’s historic features, particularly on the eastern side of the park where the historic flowerbeds, glasshouses, fountain, and lodge were once located.

In 2021 a consultation took place on the Management Plan’s recommendations and we were delighted to see that residents overwhelmingly welcomed the restoration of the formal flower beds on the eastern side of the park. In 2022 the Parish Council, Historic England, National Trust and Swindon Borough Council actioned the following improvements to GWR Park:

• A plan to recreate formal flowerbeds on the eastern side of GWR Park- enhancing the Church Way entrance to the park, adding interest and creating new attractive spaces for people to dwell in.
• The planting of a ‘Blossom Circle’ of trees on the footprint of the historic bandstand. Inspired by the Japanese tradition of ‘hanami’ (cherry blossom worship) the Blossom Circle will create a new semi-enclosed space that can be used for performances and events.
• Seating bays around the perimeter path will be renewed and new ones created, including within the new flowerbeds and Blossom Circle. All existing benches will be replaced and new benches added that will be a consistent style of bench in keeping with the park’s GWR heritage.
• The bins, noticeboards and bollards in the park will all be replaced.
• A programme of spring and summer activities will be offered to encourage people to visit and enjoy this historic park.

In 2023, South Swindon Parish Council, Swindon Borough Council, Historic England and the National Trust created 30m blossom circle in GWR Park.

The National Trust sponsored Blossom Circle has been planted on the footprint of the historic bandstand at GWR Park. The National Trust created the Helping Communities Blossom fund to help give communities more access to nature through the creation of green spaces and circles of blossom trees.

The circle comprises of 11 blossom trees around a circular path. The space can be accessed via a path from the main entrance off of Church Place passing either side of the existing mature willow tree. It is visible to anyone travelling down Exeter Street towards the main entrance on Church Place. The trees selected complement the many existing cherry and rowan trees to be found in the front gardens of the Railway Village cottages and is used as an informal ‘event’ space for picnics, children’s parties as well as musical and dramatic performances.

The Blossom Circle was opened in March 2023 by Parish Chair Chris Watts, Director General of the National Trust Hilary McGrady, Historic England Chief Executive Duncan Wilson and the Mayor of Swindon Abdul Amin.

These changes were funded by Historic England through the Heritage Action Zone, the National Trust through the Blossom Fund and South Swindon Parish Council.

For more information contact South Swindon Parish Council at: office@southswindon-pc.gov.uk