Swindon Borough Council have shared some information about the history of the town's iconic Magic Roundabout as it turns 50 this month.
The council say the story of the historic roundabout landmark actually begins back in the early 19th Century when it was part of the Swindon Wharf on the Wilts & Berks Canal.
Firstly, Fairholm House was built in 1810 for the canal manager. The council say they are not sure how long the house stood for, but an image shows it on location in 1905. In the 1930s the house made way for a simple roundabout called ‘County Island’ which joined Drove, County and Shrivenham roads.
Improvements were then made over the next 40 years, until the 1970s.
At the start of the 1970s, traffic engineer Frank Blackmore was said to have worked with the Transport and Research Laboratory to carry out some experiments involving new public road ideas.
Eventually, this then resulted in the reopening of the County Islands roundabout in 1972, which would then be officially renamed the 'Magic Roundabout' in the 1980s.
A spokesperson for Swindon Borough Council added: "Since then, the roundabout has been used by millions of people and has gained notoriety across the globe.
"It fills some people with dread, some with peace, and some with downright confusion but that’s what makes it magic."
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