Swindon artist, Frank Quinton, was a prolific painter from the 80s through to the 2000s. Frank captured many street scenes of Swindon and surrounding area. Frank would often choose subjects that were not obvious candidates for works of art. For example, paintings showing the back streets of Swindon’s terraced houses with the lean tos with corrugated roofs and old sheds and derelict buildings. I thought about Frank when I chose to paint this building. A lovely buiding that has been home in more recent years to night clubs, Groove, Incognito, Fever, The Beach and Boutique Beach not necessarily in that order. I remember going in there in what must have been the late 90s early 2000s when it was a pub called the Litten Tree. Then it was packed with drinkers and doing a roaring trade. However, when I came to produce this picture, the building had been unused for several years and it was in a pretty sorry state. Mandy and Duncan’s website documents the decline in a series of photos taken from 2012 through to 2019. There is a link on Mandy and Duncan’s site to a photograph of this building from the 1930s when it served as the Boy’s YMCA Club.

I did read somewhere that planning permission has been given to turn it into bedsit accommodation. I know people need homes and I’m aware that having people live in the building is better than letting trees grow out of the masonry but it is quite sad in many ways that many the town’s best buildings that were once thriving businesses are being used in this way.

I really did enjoy doing this picture and loved painting the greenery sprouting out of the drain pipes and masonry and I can see why Frank Quinton would paint such buildings. They do have a charm that lends them to being painted even if the finished work can betray the sadness of the dereliction.

I reckon there are many schools, colleges and universities out there that would love to have this building on the front of their prospectus to celebrate their heritage. However, when Swindon College decided to sell up and up sticks and move to their North Star campus, they gave up the opportunity to showcase this wonderful Victorian building.

I’ve no idea about the factors that led to Swindon College’s decision to give up this building but I suspect it had something to do with falling student numbers and having to reduced overheads which forced them to consolidate by moving to a single site. And so it was in 2006, the building was vacated. It is true that the main 1960s campus building that adjoined this one was an eye sore and many in the town breathed a sigh of relief when that was taken down. The fete of this building however was uncertain for a long time. Although after being vacated by the college in 2006 it was in a good state, the following years saw its decline as windows were broken and holes appeared in the roof as it fell prey to urban explorers and vandals. At one time it looked that this building too would need to be demolished. In 2014, English Heritage gave it grade 2 listed status which may have saved it from the bulldozers. Having grade 2 listing in itself is not a guarantee of a secure future for a building though. You only need look at two other grade 2 listed buildings in the town; The Locarno and The Mechanics Institute to see how such structures can be left boarded up, unused and uncared for with no plans to do anything with them.

This story does have a happy ending though. Renovation was completed in 2018 and this building now comprises 24 flats and its future looks secure. In some ways like Gilbert’s Hill School, that is situated just behind this building, it is a shame that it’s no longer going to be used for its intended purpose. However, at least the structure has been saved and the external appearance has been preserved. I have, and I’m sure many others in the town have, fond memories of having lessons in this building and so are pleased it’s all worked out well.

Refs.

Derelict Swindon technical college to be turned into apartments – BBC News

Grade II-listed building in Victoria Road being converted into 24 flats | Swindon Advertiser

We will demolish the old college… | Swindon Advertiser

So, this is my latest work of the Jewel In The Crown restaurant on Victoria Road in Swindon. I did the sketch digitally using Krita and then in physical form. I’m enjoying working like this and I’m pleased I discovered Krita. I should say, that I haven’t been able to simulate water colour painting in the way it’s possible with Artrage but I think it’s compensated in other ways.

I can’t believe I’ve lived in Swindon as long as I have without having come across this gem. Tucked away in a side street off Eastcott Road is this charming school building, Gilbert’s Hill Girls’ and Infants’ School. Built in 1880 and enlarged in 1889 and served the community as an infant school until 2000. Despite protests from parents, the school eventually closed with just 34 children on the roll. This was down from figures of over 400 in 1895 and 65 in 1964. It was then developed into flats. However the renovation was undertaken sensitively such that the building retains an almost identical external appearance. Indeed according the the Wiltshire Gazzette and Herald, the last head teacher was invited back by the developer to view completion of the conversion to flats whereupon she gave the renovation her seal of approval.

However, this isn’t the only gem in Dixon Street as immediately opposite is the Swindon Moravion Church which has been welcoming worshipers since 1899.