Historic plaque marking 1961 Royal visit restored to town centre

By Barrie Hudson - 25 June 2025

CommunityHeritage

A specialist Swindon Borough Council team have restored a historic artefact to its rightful place.

It was in 1961 that the Duke of Edinburgh, husband of Queen Elizabeth II, visited Swindon and performed various official duties.
These included visiting the town centre, where work on what was to become its modern shopping area was beginning.
A plaque commemorating the occasion was installed in The Parade and remained there for 63 years.
A council spokesperson said: "Last October, the Catalpa tree outside Costa Coffee in The Parade came to the natural end of its life and fell down after standing tall for decades.
"The tree was much loved by visitors and residents alike.
"The replacement tree, which is the same species as the previous one, is now in place and we hope to see it flourish over the coming years." Members of the council's Highways team have now finished installing paving around the new tree, and the project included the restoration of the plaque.
 

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