Page 29 - link magazine

Swindon Wide 29

Digging into links with the past
Having had contact with Channel 4's history department in the past, Sheila Mitchell from Westlea was invited by the Time Team to dig an
archaeology test pit in her West Swindon garden, along with hundreds of others across Britain. However before going down, she describes how
she first cast around for information about her community.
In many ways my investigations a headline or a Pixton, as well famed Swindon clay, and a few
were as interesting above ground photograph. as Link pub- stones of interest.
as they were below. By the time I fi sher Roger My husband and I enjoyed our-
Having moved to the area in had completed .; Ogle with his selves but concluded that the
1 985, four years after our house my search. `7 hair slightly project had been more a success-
was built, I was interested to dis- concluded that "' T i longer and less ful exercise in geology.
cover the original landowners. Ar- in the space of grey. Residents living on the edge of the
chives held at the Swindon Refer- 26 years The My research Groundwell Ridge Roman site at Ash
ence Library showed the earliest Link and before brought home to Brake searching for evidence. Time
were Alfred of Marlborough as well thatthe'Toothill me howvital The Team's Mick Aston. centre, with Bob
as Robert Tregoze, The Earl of and Freshbrook Link is in help- Clarke, Nick Lillie, Joy Hanley. house-
Devon. Hugh Le Despencer and Newsletter' has N ing to preserve holder Chris Walker. Front. Daisy
Margaret Beauchamp, the grand- provided vital the social history Walker and Daniel Lillie
mother of Henry VII. information for of our area for
The most recent owner, prior to the inhabitants future genera-
Sheila Mitchell,
the sale in 1919 to the local council and were a investigating tions. It has
for use by World War I soldiers mouthpiece F 0 helped me with
returning from the war, was and rallying my own particu-
Charterhouse. point for the earliest inhabitants lar piece of historical research and
I decided that it was worth look- who campaigned to make sure that I am confident that it will be used by
ing at the early copies of The Link the type of area that they wanted many more researchers.
magazine to see if they held any was provided by the authorities From those early few pages of
relevant information. What I found and not spoilt by the developers or recipes. advertisements, times and
was a veritable goldmine. the inhabitants. Many of the issues dates of meetings and the like to
From the earliest newsletters for campaigned for or against had a the informative magazine that we
the first inhabitants of Swindon's positive outcome making West have today I'd like to thank all the
Western Development - Toothill Swindon the pleasant place that it contributors over those years. As
and Freshbrook - to the inclusion is today. a freebie paper it most certainly is
of the 'third village' of Westlea, the It was lovely to see photographs not one that ends up in a bin or a
material contained forms a vital of our one time councillor the late litter tray.
part of the economic and social Ricky Midwinter. early campaigner As far as the dig is concerned,
history of the area. Nick Jansen from Westlea and the by the end of the afternoon we had
It was easy to be sidetracked by youthful community worker Pam a huge hole, a large pile of the

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