# Mechanics Institute, Swindon - Sep 2005



## Jondoe_264 (Dec 29, 2007)

Continuing the posting of content no longer featured on our website . . 

*Mechanics Institute* - _Sep 2005_

A super weird building! Grade II* listed but showing the scars of being derelict since 1986. Built in 1855 as a social retreat for GWR railway workers, though it is much noted that it was built and funded largely privately and not by GWR. The building was also used by the local community for social events and annual fetes. The site was significantly extended in 1892.

I visited in Sep '05 with Sam of www.nobodythere.co.uk. On approaching by a uniform street of workers cottages I was slightly taken back by the seemingly random arrangement of old and new that make up the Mechanics Institution, dominated by the ugly modern fly tower that just doesn't sit with the rest of the building. For a compact site on a resonably small footprint it is crammed with so much of interest, most noteably a huge reading room and library on the ground floor and auditorium on the first.

Pictures, in particular order:






_Ground Floor Plan_





_First floor plan_





_Original entrance end_





_1892 entrance_















_Foyer of 1892 entrance_





_stairs & fire extinguisher brackets_





_More Escher stair shennanigans_





_First floor Bagatelle room_





_Ground Floor skittles alley_





_First floor Girls Reading Room_





_Ground Floor Reading Room_





_Reading room moulding detail_





_First floor auditorium_





_Auditorium plaster motif detail_





_Auditorium rear window (at original entrance end)_





_Fly Tower rigging_

JD


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## Foxylady (Dec 29, 2007)

That is such a beautiful building, JD. I rather like the Victorian mish-mash of Gothic and Elizabethan styles, but it's the inside details that I find wonderful. There's just something about the proportion of the rooms and those 'Escher stairs' are well-quirky.
Thanks for sharing that.


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## sheep2405 (Dec 29, 2007)

Nice work dude, as always yourk stuff, amazes me, I especially like the fly tower rigging photo, is just pops out at me, its hard to explain.

S


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## Simon-G (Dec 29, 2007)

A fascinating place JD, it makes it all the more fascinating the fact you managed to get hold of the plans of the rooms and you knew what went on in each room. Good work. How did you compare it with other sites the fact that the building is being worked on and all the crap has been cleared out. By that I'm mean aura about the place if you know what I mean.

Simon-G


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## mr_bones (Dec 29, 2007)

Mr. Bones Likes.....very much


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## Jondoe_264 (Dec 29, 2007)

It was a great place to explore, really great! The fact that there's so much in there to see, and the building has been expanded on various occassions makes for a mostly appealing mix of architecture and internal spaces. 

r.e. the ambience of the place. Although it appears that work was ongoing whilst we were there, it was not. The scaffold in place both internally and externally, and the building materials around and about had been there for five or so years at that point, with no actual work having taken place, other than some roof repairs. It had a relaxed vibe about it, not especially atmospheric, but not a place were I ever felt on edge at all.

Here's a link to the Trust who are campaigning to preserve the building:

http://www.new-mechanics.com/ 

The floor plans are on there, amongst their very detailed history of the building, well worth a read if you're interested. 

I'm not sure of the present status of the building, but I expect it hasn't really changed much since Autumn 2005.

JD


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## smileysal (Dec 30, 2007)

What a beautiful building. Love the faces in the plaster, and the stone work, love the hall with the stage and the tiered balcony. Where there any skittles left anywhere in or around the skittle alley room? 

I really hope the charity can clean it all up and turn it into something for the community. its a shame to see wonderful buildings like this just left to decay further. 

Cheers JD for the pics, they're great.

 Sal


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## Richard Davies (Dec 30, 2007)

Interestingly, in 1892 was when the GWR abandoned broad gauge; & Swindon works was closed by BR in 1986.

Some of the buildings are now a museum & a shopping centre.


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## mcspringzy (Dec 30, 2007)

Jondoe, I can't believe your taken all this of your website!


Man I loved your website!


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## Rotax (Dec 30, 2007)

Top work JD, you da man!!

Rotax......


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## Goldie87 (Dec 30, 2007)

Nice pics there, what a fantastic building


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## groundunder (Apr 21, 2008)

wow!this place is literally down the road from where i live and i've always wanted to go in there!i've even had dreams about it


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## sqwasher (Apr 21, 2008)

Great pics! The skittle alley room & auditorium look amazing!


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## nursepayne (Feb 1, 2009)

Sorry to drag up an old thread but I found a preservation website for this place whilst mooching around onlibne so obviously I put it into the forums to see if anyone has done it and I'm awed!Not only that but that you had a look around it such a longtime ago.
Whilst it looks quite empty its retained some amazing features like the mouldings the theatre and those beautiful emamel brick strairwells!!I wonder why more people havn't been interested in it?


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