Latest news with #Museum&ArtSwindon
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Swindon croc' returns after five-year absence
A much-loved crocodile is back on display at a town art gallery. The stuffed gharial, a type of crocodile mainly found in India, returned to its display at Museum & Art Swindon after being absent for five years. Fondly known as the Swindon Croc, the gharial has been in the council's possession since 1931 and has been displayed in a number of exhibitions throughout the years. The gharial has had extensive restoration work done since it disappeared from view when the museum closed in 2020 and was welcomed back with an unveiling event earlier. Gharials are one of the longest living members of the crocodile family but are now an endangered species. It is estimated there are fewer than 250 still alive. The Swindon gharial was originally a hunting trophy and its first known owner was Maj Morton Hiles, who lived in India between 1916 and 1922. He later lived in Warminster and gave the gharial to Warminster School before it was passed to the museum in 1931. The new exhibition at Museum & Art Swindon explores the history of the gharial, the moral, ethical and legal considerations of protecting a critically-endangered species, where it can currently be found in the wild and what it means to the people of Swindon. The new exhibition also highlights creatures in Wiltshire that are on the critical list such as the West European Hedgehog and the Lapwing bird. The gharial was unveiled at the civic offices by Swindon Borough Council leader Jim Robbins, deputy mayor of Swindon Neil Hopkins and South Swindon MP Heidi Alexander. Councillor Jim Robbins, said: "The gharial, or Swindon Croc as it's fondly known, is one of the most famous pieces in Swindon's collection and was the figurehead of the Save the Croc campaign when the Museum & Art Gallery closed at Apsley House in Old Town. "The gharial is more than just a stuffed reptile in a museum and we want to make sure its long and complex history, which intertwines with Britain's past and the country's place in the world, is explored in the right way." Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Museum reopening 'a success' when gharial returns Campaigners mark three years of museum closure New town museum opens four years after closure Swindon Borough Council
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Swindon croc' returns after five-year absence
A much-loved crocodile is back on display at a town art gallery. The stuffed gharial, a type of crocodile mainly found in India, returned to its display at Museum & Art Swindon after being absent for five years. Fondly known as the Swindon Croc, the gharial has been in the council's possession since 1931 and has been displayed in a number of exhibitions throughout the years. The gharial has had extensive restoration work done since it disappeared from view when the museum closed in 2020 and was welcomed back with an unveiling event earlier. Gharials are one of the longest living members of the crocodile family but are now an endangered species. It is estimated there are fewer than 250 still alive. The Swindon gharial was originally a hunting trophy and its first known owner was Maj Morton Hiles, who lived in India between 1916 and 1922. He later lived in Warminster and gave the gharial to Warminster School before it was passed to the museum in 1931. The new exhibition at Museum & Art Swindon explores the history of the gharial, the moral, ethical and legal considerations of protecting a critically-endangered species, where it can currently be found in the wild and what it means to the people of Swindon. The new exhibition also highlights creatures in Wiltshire that are on the critical list such as the West European Hedgehog and the Lapwing bird. The gharial was unveiled at the civic offices by Swindon Borough Council leader Jim Robbins, deputy mayor of Swindon Neil Hopkins and South Swindon MP Heidi Alexander. Councillor Jim Robbins, said: "The gharial, or Swindon Croc as it's fondly known, is one of the most famous pieces in Swindon's collection and was the figurehead of the Save the Croc campaign when the Museum & Art Gallery closed at Apsley House in Old Town. "The gharial is more than just a stuffed reptile in a museum and we want to make sure its long and complex history, which intertwines with Britain's past and the country's place in the world, is explored in the right way." Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Museum reopening 'a success' when gharial returns Campaigners mark three years of museum closure New town museum opens four years after closure Swindon Borough Council
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Museum centrepiece missing for five years seems finally set to return
An iconic museum centrepiece that has been missing for years could soon be back. The hugely popular Indian gharial, nicknamed Apsley, has not been seen by Swindonians since the borough's art gallery and museum closed for the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown. But she could well be on her way back home. Swindon Borough Council, which opened a renewed gallery and museum without Apsley in the upper storey of its civic offices in Euclid Street last year is certainly serving up some teasers. Historic pub set to be demolished saved by greenlight for new use Bus gates, no parking and 20mph limit: What new Fleming Way will be like A posting on the authority's Facebook page showed a dramatic picture of the 20-foot crocodile from its fishy prey's perspective, giving a close-up view of Apsley's rows of razor-sharp teeth under the legend 'it's been a while crocodile… Coming soon to Museum & Art Swindon.' It has also posted a cryptic video: A (slightly shaky) camera travels from Apsley House in Old Town to the civic offices, welcomed by council leader Councillor Jim Robbins and the recent Mayor Imtiyaz Shaikh, and up to the door of the museum. Coming Soon: Swindon's most famous resident returns to Museum & Art Swindon 🐊🏛️ — Swindon Borough Council (@SwindonCouncil) May 21, 2025 The caption says: 'Coming soon: Swindon's most famous resident returns to Museum & Art Swindon.' Assuming that the caption isn't suggesting Diana Dors or Billie Piper are soon to move into the civic offices, it seems likely it's another clue to the gharial's return.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Piece of UK's largest Stegosaur fossil returning ‘home'
A piece of a dinosaur discovered in Swindon has found a new home in the local museum and art gallery. Back in 1874, archaeologists uncovered original fossil remains in the clay pits of Swindon Brick and Tile Company which were sent to Natural History Museum director Richard Owen and became the first example of a stegosaurus to be named and described by scientists. While a large part of the herbivorous 'Dacentrurus' dinosaur is currently on display in that London museum, , other smaller parts were taken away by private fossils hunters and dispersed into other collections. The team at Swindon's council-run museum, which is now based at the Civic Offices on Euclid Street, has recently acquired a vertebra bone which is believed to be from that prehistoric skeleton and was found for sale online by local fossil hunters Dr Neville and Sally Hollingworth. Your Community, Your News Subscribe to Swindon Advertiser now for either 50% off for a year or 3 months for £3. Stay connected with all local happenings. #CommunityNews #SpecialOffer — Swindon Advertiser (@swindonadver) January 20, 2025 Sally and Neville have been working alongside volunteers and staff at Museum & Art Swindon on identifying parts of the museum's fossil collection through the Arts Council England-funded 'Unlocking Collections' project, and alerted staff to the fossil. The pair said: 'We saw this specimen for sale and realised its importance straight away. 'When the Swindon Stegosaur was collected in the 19th Century some of the original material ended up in private collections and we instantly recognised that the vertebra offered for sale had come from the original site where the skeleton was found. 'We're delighted that Museum & Art Swindon has put this truly unique find from the town on display and, hopefully, this will help raise awareness about the town's Jurassic past.' The Brick and Tile Company site is now occupied by Halford's and The Range in Fleming Way and the green space at Spring Gardens. Cllr Marina Strinkovsky, Cabinet member for Placemaking and Planning, said: 'Swindon was really important in the history of palaeontology and loads of important fossil hunters lived here or visited Swindon in the late 19th Century to look for specimens. 'The stegosaur ignites the imagination of Swindonians of all ages, and it's fantastic that a piece of it is coming home. 'I recently saw the stegosaur fossil in the Natural History Museum in London - it's great to see Swindon represented in one of the capital's most popular tourist destinations.' The stegosaur vertebra can be seen now at the museum's Swindon Rocks gallery. Later in the year, the vertebra will form part of the Arts Council England supported Fossil Hunters exhibition.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
‘Truly unique find': part of Swindon Stegosaur returns to Wiltshire town
The spectacular remains of the first stegosaur to be described by scientists – discovered in a clay pit in Swindon in 1874 – are on display in the grand surroundings of the Natural History Museum in London. But 150 years on, a little piece of the Swindon Stegosaur has been returned to the Wiltshire town, after two fossil hunters spotted one of its vertebrae for sale on an online marketplace site. They alerted the council and it has gone on display at the local authority-run museum in Swindon, a reminder of the role the town played in one of the UK's most remarkable dinosaur discoveries. The fossil remains were found in the clay pits of Swindon Brick and Tile Company in 1874, a site in Fleming Way now occupied by shops and a gardens. They were sent off to Sir Richard Owen, then director of the Natural History Museum, for identification, and became the first stegosaur ever named and described by scientists. The remains – the hip, a back leg and parts of the backbone of the creature – are considered a 'roadmap' for understanding what stegosaur looked like, and can still be seen in London. Sally and Neville Hollingworth spotted the vertebra being offered for sale. The pair said: 'We realised its importance straight away. When the Swindon Stegosaur was collected in the 19th century some of the original material ended up in private collections and we recognised that the vertebra offered for sale had come from the original site. 'We're delighted Museum & Art Swindon has put this truly unique find from the town on display and, hopefully, this will help raise awareness about the town's Jurassic past.' Marina Strinkovsky, Swindon borough council's cabinet member for placemaking and planning, said: 'Swindon was really important in the history of palaeontology and loads of important fossil hunters lived here or visited Swindon in the late 19th century to look for specimens. 'The stegosaur ignites the imagination of Swindonians of all ages, and it's fantastic that a piece of it is home.' The vertebra can be seen now at the museum's Swindon Rocks gallery.
