Stratton Timeline Mural - Key
1
Ermin Street was one of the main Roman roads in Britain. It linked Glevum (Gloucester) and Corinium (Cirencester) to Calleva (Silchester), passing through what would become Swindon on the way.
The village of Stratton derived its name from the Latin word strata ("paved way" or "street") after this former Roman road whose course traversed the parish from northwest to southeast.
2
The Domesday (not "Doomsday" :) ) Book of 1086 records the village of Stratone, when the parish was held by Nigel the Doctor, physician to William the Conqueror.
It had a recorded population of 44 households in 1086, putting it in the largest 20% of settlements recorded in Domesday.
3
In 1316 Queen Margaret - second wife of King Edward I, and daughter of Philip III of France - had Upper and Lower Stratton in dower.
She was one of two Margarets with an association with the Stratton parish, Saint Margaret being the other.
4
The Church of England parish church of Saint Margaret dates from the 13th century, with numerous later additions in 1840s and partial rebuilding in the middle of the 20th century; a Norman door remains.
On the same site there was previously a Norman church, and before that a Saxon wattle and daub chapel.
Amongst the notable churchyard tombs is one to Sir William Hedges who was President of the East India Company in the 17th century. His home was where the Crematorium is now.
5
In the past, the people of Stratton were commonly known as 'crocodiles'.
The name came from a local story that some Stratton men once armed themselves against a supposed crocodile found at the side of a road. It turned out to be a scarf (it probably wasn't a STFC scarf, though ;) )
6
Swindon - aka Swine Hill - gets its name from the humble pig, and the Greenbridge area of Stratton in particular, where this mural has been painted, was once a large pig farm.
7
Arkell's Brewery is one of the most established businesses in the area, the original steam brewery was built in 1861 behind the original Kingsdown Inn in Upper Stratton after the enterprise outgrew its first premises on a local farm.
It has expanded again since, and the company has recently celebrated its 180th birthday.
8
St Margaret of Antioch - the other Margaret to lend her name to Stratton.
She is depicted with a dragon because, in one of her trials, she was said to have been confronted by Satan in the form of a dragon, who swallowed her whole. But by making the sign of the cross or carrying a large crucifix (versions of the story vary) she was able to escape unscathed from the dragon's belly.
Because of this, she was adopted as the patron saint of expectant mothers experiencing difficult preganancies - and later, the patron saint of caesarean births.
She is also featured on the Stratton St Margaret parish council logo:
9
St Phillip's Church in Upper Stratton started as a barrel store supplied by John Arkell; the brick church was built in 1904 with the chancel following in 1910.
Behind the church in Merton Fields there is a group sculpture called "Lifecycle of a Butterfly", commonly referred to locally as the metamorphosis sculpture, it features a caterpillar, a chrysalis, and the butterfly (which I've moved to the roof of the church for the mural, a little bit of artistic licence...like the Swindon Town scarf on the croc :) )
10
Spitfire planes for the WW2 war effort were built at the local Supermarine factory (later Vickers) - the factory buildings are now largely gone, but were located in the area now occupied by the South Marston industrial estate.
In all, 121 Mark 21 Spitfires were built here, with a further 50 modified Spitfires bound for naval action (which the Royal Navy called Seafires) also produced.
On 7 December 1941, a Spitfire on a training mission crashed in Stratton St.Margaret near St Margaret's church, killing the Canadian pilot, Norman Barbeau. There is a memorial bench still at the crash site to this day, featuring the Canadian maple leaf symbol.
11
Honda of the UK Manufacturing Ltd was the UK manufacturing subsidiary of the multinational automotive company Honda.
Based in Stratton, and employing many of the local residents, HUM operated manufacturing plants that included casting, engine assembly, pressing, welding, painting, and car assembly activities.
At the time of its closure in 2021, it employed around 3,400 people at the plants, which occupied a site covering around 370 acres.
12
The BMW MINI plant in Stratton St Margaret started life in 1955 as a car body pressing plant named Pressed Steel, who supplied body panels to all the main British car manufacturers including Ford, Vauxhall, Austin and MG .
Pressed Steel later became part of British Leyland - who were purchased by BMW in 1994.
BMW sold most of the British Leyland assets in 2000, however they retained the MINI, which they build in Cowley, and this plant, which now supplies the body panels for it.
13
Meadowcroft Community Centre in Upper Stratton, which also houses some of Stratton St Margaret Parish Council's offices.
It was fun for me to get to paint (on this mural) the planter that I painted for the council last year. Very meta :)
14
And finally, bringing our Stratton timeline bang up to date, the latest addition to the local area, the new skate park which opened in Meadowcroft Park in July 2023.
