Towns and Villages for living
Whilst the Swindon might be an urban centre, two-thirds of the borough is rural and within its boundaries are many delightful and historic towns and villages.
Highworth - A typically English town
The largest settlement in the rural doughnut is the country town of Highworth, much celebrated by John Betjeman and which lies about 6 miles to the north east of Swindon town. It has a population of about 8,000 with housing available across the spectrum of price and size.
Villages in the Borough
Bishopstone and Wanborough lie in the east of the Borough and make for beautiful villages that have a wide selection of properties in a tranquil environment. The thatched cottages, medieval church and millpond at Bishopstone provide a truly idyllic setting.
Wanborough was the site of the Roman town of Durcornovium and was later a Saxon settlement. Closer to urban Swindon it has managed to maintain its rural heritage. This is evident at the Wanborough Show a traditional fete that was once The Wanborough Feast – a meeting of men and women who took part in old English games and sports. The site of this market and fair goes back to 1252 in the reign of King Stephen. These days Wanborough ably transcends contrasting rural and urban pressures and provides the best of both worlds for its residents.
Other villages in the Borough are Blunsdon and South Marston. Nearby, but in surrounding districts are Wootton Bassett, Purton, Aldborne and Shrivenham.
Nestled in the Downs
The village of Chiseldon lies just south of the edge of urban Swindon on the road to Marlborough. It sits on the scarp of the Wessex Downs with the ancient Ridgeway drovers' route, Barbury and Liddington castles and Coate Water all within easy reach. It is a real gateway to the countryside with a good mix of housing and easy access to the transport network.
Wroughton is a larger settlement that sits at the base of the Wessex downs about 4 miles south from the centre of Swindon. There is plenty of housing in Wroughton and it also has the Ridgeway secondary school.
Above the town, on a former RAF air station, sits the National Science Museum’s large objects collection. Over the next decade there are plans for this facility to be developed into a major and valuable visitor attraction.
Beautiful and Commutable
Further afield, about 10 miles south is Marlborough ,a similar distance to the east is Faringdon, to the north the pleasant small towns of Lechlade and Cricklade. To the east is Malmesbury with its wonderful runined Abbey overlooking the town and the wild River Avon flowing down off the Cotswolds through the town. All these places are within easy commutable distance to Swindon.
A full checklist of services and amenties for these towns and villages in Swindon and hinterland, with links to further information, can help you decide where you want to live.
Other towns from which people might consider commuting into Swindon from, are Chippenham, Newbury and Cirencester.