Monday 23 June 2008

Jurassic Swindon - Quarry Wildlife Park

A very hidden corner of Swindon, tucked away behind the beautiful Town Gardens in Old Town is the Quarry Wildlife Park, sponsored by http://www.bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces/

Jurassic sandstone rock between 155 - 145 million years old. Part of the old quarry works of Swindon Purbeck stone, which became in massive demand from 1666 when it was used to help rebuild the streets of London after the Great Fire.

Some of the foliage in the warm sheltered little haven of wildlife.
Last autumn I started the Hidden Swindon blog, bringing it to what I thought an appropriate conclusion on April 23rd - to coincide with the bluebells coming out in Croft Wood. However, on Sunday afternoon I finally found this place, having heard about it through the BBC's Breathingplaces project. It is tucked away behind the Town Gardens which I had photographed extensively in various lights not knowing of the hidden wildlife garden just the other side of the fence (accessed via a small road called the Quarries).
It so epitomised the hidden aspect of Swindon, I had tried to capture earlier that I felt I must re-start 'Hidden Swindon' in the hope of further illustrating how interesting our town really is if you take the time to look.