History
Swindon as it is now
Swindon Parish, which includes the hamlets of Smestow and
Hinksford is situated in the Smestow Valley surrounded by
farmland.
Swindon is mainly residential,with employment being centred on
the, nearby West Midland towns of Wolverhampton, Dudley and
Stourbridge
The Smestow Brook and the Staffs Worcs canal pass through the
village. The canal now carrying pleasure boats instead of the
mainly coal carrying boats which used it some years ago.
There is a well used Community Centre which caters for all
local groups.
Swindon has a Church, Chapel, and a thriving junior school.
There are four shops including a Post Office and three Public
Houses all of which serve food and good quality ales.
The Village is close to the West Midlands conurbation on the
east side and there are three buses every hour to Merry Hill and
Wolverhampton. To the west it is open countryside with
Highgate Common and its wooded areas nearby...
The village sports field is the base for Swindon Cricket Club
and has a well used football pitch. In addition, a Crown
Bowling Green and Children’s Play area have been added more
recently.
Swindon is a happy community where new and old villagers
integrate well.
Brief History of Swindon
Swindon had an Iron & Steel works from the 15th century
which produced mainly “Bar Iron” and later hot rolled steel sheets.
Following the battle of Worcester, Cromwell’s troops were pursuing
the remnants of Prince Charles’s army towards Wolverhampton when
they stopped at Swin Forge to have their swords sharpened and
repaired. It was said that Swin Forge was chosen because the blade
mill had been famous since 1500 for the superior quality of its
swords, and scythes.
Most of the villagers worked on the farms or in the Iron Works
and Dud Dudley mentioned the works in his “Metallum Martis”
book.
Other famous owners were Thomas Foley who built Witley Court
and the Baldwins who made it a “great little works”. Stanley
Baldwin was also a Governor of Swindon School.
The Chapel was built in 1820, the Church in 1854, and the
school in 1864. Swindon was originally in Wombourne Parish but
became a separate Parish in 1896.
There were three Public houses, one of them the “Green Man”
was owned by the Iron Works.
The Iron & Steel Works finally closed in 1976 with the old
Canteen building being donated to the village and converted into
today’s Community Centre.
Link
A short history of Stanley
Baldwin
Contact
Cllr. R. Lees,
11 St. Johns Close,
Swindon,
South Staffordshire,
Tel: (01384) 279910
Email: r.lees@sstaffs.gov.uk