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Dovedale, SWINDON, SN25 2FH

Typical of the mis-matches produced in the rapid expansion of Swindon in recent times. A 'city-style' apartment block overlooks a 'lego-style' primary school.

As the notice explains, developers starting work here unearthed the course of a Roman road, which led to this area being preserved as a park.

Viewed facing east, the south elevation of the church can be seen at the left. Beyond that is what was once an abbey, still known as Blunsdon Abbey, which is now a residential property having had a rather modern-looking extension added.

An isolated rural community, until quite recently - now surrounded on all sides by the onward march of Swindon's northern expansion.

The small south churchyard is viewed facing west. The main entrance is, somewhat unusually, on the north elevation. The small door in the image probably provides access to the boilerhouse. More information on the church can be found here Image

Almost hidden in the trees is the small parish church of St Andrew. The horizon slopes the way it does because the view is diagonally up a small slope. It could have been straightened but then it wouldn't be a true representation of the view.

The church is unusual in having a north-facing entrance. Typically churches have their main doors in the southern aspect. The church itself is Grade II* listed. The following information is extracted from the local authority website (Swindon.gov.uk) "Church of St Andrew DCMS Ref: 7/90 Tadpole Lane Grade: II* Blunsdon St Andrew First Listed: 26.01.55 Medieval traces. Practically rebuilt by Butterfield 1868. Small country church of rubble with red tile roof. C15 style grafted on early English. Chancel, nave and south aisle, west bell turret with 2 bells and odd spirelet. Three bay nave with central gabled porch to north with quatrefoil vent and trefoil heads to side buttresses. Hollow chamfered surround to pointed doorway (possibly C13), wrought iron strap hinges. A2 and a 3-light square headed Perpendicular style window with mouchette heads. Plain ashlar dressed paired lights to lower later 2 bay chancel with gabled organ vestry to north. Three light geometrical east window (with, inside, a foiled 'rere-arch' - in fact foiled reveal). The west front appears to be a different build: rough-faced rubble with ashlar bands. Central belfry break with 2 foiled openings and crenellated parapet to hipped roof; small octagonal spirelet and weathervane; this break is linked by wall thickening and buttress to small door to south-west with Caernarvon arch. Foiled vesca-shape opening to right. Boiler house and chimney to south-west. Interior: reused plain circa 1200 doorway (now a niche). Low 3 bay arcade, C13. Butterfield reredos, altar-rails, sedilia and pews retained. Nave roof: king post type with foiled braces. Rubble churchyard wall to south and to west, gabled doorway formerly entrance from Abbey. Numerous medieval fragments - sculpted stones, medieval tiles and some traces of an arcade found during work of 1868, indicating a later church in the Middle Ages."

Blunsdon Abbey was a Victorian mansion which was destroyed by fire in 1904. The ruins dominate the Blunsdon Abbey Park caravan site, which offers static homes and storage for mobile homes.