The Cricketers

Upcoming events at The Cricketers

Community

Around £5.00

'The Missing Pieces Project' by Gareth Powell

Gareth Powell from Historic England talks about The Missing Pieces Project. All over England are places with stories to tell: from buildings to battlefields, some on your doorstep, others just a day trip away. Their stories are still being written, and they won’t be complete until you share your side. The Missing Pieces Project invites you to share your pictures and stories of the unique, significant and memorable places on the National Heritage List for England (otherwise known as ‘the List’). The List is a register of all nationally protected historic buildings and sites across England. Why not join us June 11th 2026 at 7:30 PM at the Bakers’ Café? Cost Swindon Heritage Preservation (SHP) Full Members – FREE Entry Guests – £5.00 Entry Membership Becoming a SHP Full Member gives you full FREE access to our series of talks, along with many other benefits. Full Membership only costs £12 per year! You can learn more about Membership here (https://mechanics-trust.org.uk/membership/). Getting to Emlyn Square Bakers’ Café is at 16 Emlyn Square (SN1 5BN) at the heart of Swindon’s Railway Village. You can view the location on Google Maps here. It is easily accessible by train and bus, with the Central Bus Station just a short walk away. There are several car parks available around the Railway Village. We recommend Bristol Street Car Park for it’s proximity to Emlyn Square.

Thu 11 Jun20:30The Cricketers

via The Cricketers

History & Heritage

'Swindon's Heritage As Lived Experience' by Adeola Ojoawo

Dr. Ojoawo is a senior change, culture, and communication specialist with over a decade of experience leading transformation programs across the UK, Europe, and Africa. Holding a PhD alongside qualifications in Business Strategy and Leadership, she combines professional rigor with a human-centric approach. Her work focuses on how individuals and communities navigate change, utilizing her background in public relations and research to connect lived experiences with social history in a way that is insightful and accessible. This talk moves beyond Swindon’s physical landmarks and institutions to explore heritage through the lens of lived experience. Dr. Ojoawo will examine how the town’s identity has been shaped by everyday relationships, neighbourhood life, and the often-overlooked contributions of women and diverse communities. By highlighting the “unseen” networks of care and work that sustain the town, the session reveals how ordinary people create extraordinary heritage through resilience. The talk will connect these historical patterns of adaptation to the present day, offering lessons on how to navigate modern change. Delivered in a storytelling style, the session invites audience discussion and the sharing of collective memories.

Thu 16 Jul20:30The Cricketers

via The Cricketers

Don't miss the next one

What's on near King's Hill, in your inbox

One email a week with the local stuff worth knowing — before it's already happened.

Sign up for King's Hill

Free. Unsubscribe whenever you like.

Talks & Lectures

Around £6.00

'GWR Girls Talk and Book Launch' by Jane Lark

Swindon’s Secret History: Jane Lark & The GWR Girls Step back into the 1940s and discover the untold stories of the women who kept the tracks running. Join best-selling author Jane Lark for an evening dedicated to the resilience, romance, and grit of the Great Western Railway girls during WWII. From the chaos of the Dunkirk return to the arrival of American GIs in Swindon, Jane will dive into the historical research behind her beloved series and share what life was really like on the home front. The Books Jane will be signing copies after the talk. Whether you are starting the journey or catching up on the drama, the following titles will be available: Book 1: The Great Western Railway (GWR) Girls – The outbreak of war. Book 2: The GWR Girls Do Their Bit – The aftermath of Dunkirk. Book 3: Heartbreak for The GWR Girls – Swindon under attack. Book 4: Christmas Wishes for The GWR Girls – The Americans arrive in town. Ticket & Book Bundles Save by planning ahead! Pre-order to secure your copy at a special event rate. Pre-order with Ticket: £6.00 per book Purchase on the Night: £7.50 per book Note: Jane will be available for a dedicated signing session immediately following the presentation. Why not join us August 13th 2026 at 7:30 PM at the Bakers’ Café? Cost Swindon Heritage Preservation (SHP) Full Members – FREE Entry Guests – £5.00 Entry Membership Becoming a SHP Full Member gives you full FREE access to our series of talks, along with many other benefits.

Thu 13 Aug20:30The Cricketers

via The Cricketers

Community

Around £5.00

'Moonies, Movers and Shakers.' by Graham Carter

Moonies, Movers & Shakers, by Graham Carter Moonies, Movers and Shakers is an illustrated talk about a book of the same name, written by Swindon local historians Noel Ponting and Graham Carter. When they looked into an association for former Swindon railwaymen who moved to London, they made some surprising discoveries: remarkable (but previously untold) stories of leading Wiltshiremen (aka ‘Moonies’) and a fresh insight into social life in the early 20th century. Why not join us on August 27th 2026 at 7:30 PM at the Bakers’ Café? Cost Swindon Heritage Preservation (SHP) Full Members – FREE Entry Guests – £5.00 Entry Membership Becoming a SHP Full Member gives you full FREE access to our series of talks, along with many other benefits. Full Membership only costs £12 per year! You can learn more about Membership here (https://mechanics-trust.org.uk/membership/). Getting to Emlyn Square Bakers’ Café is at 16 Emlyn Square (SN1 5BN) at the heart of Swindon’s Railway Village. You can view the location on Google Maps here. It is easily accessible by train and bus, with the Central Bus Station just a short walk away. There are several car parks available around the Railway Village. We recommend Bristol Street Car Park for it’s proximity to Emlyn Square.

Thu 27 Aug20:30The Cricketers

via The Cricketers

Community

Around £5.00

'Three Painters and a Sculptor' by Philip Garrahan

Three painters and a sculptor by Philip Garrahan is an illustrated talk featuring works from the heyday of Swindon’s artistic life. This was the interwar period when the School of Art thrived under new leadership and an exciting generation of young artists were attracting attention. Why not join us September 10th 2026 at 7:30 PM at the Bakers’ Café? Cost Swindon Heritage Preservation (SHP) Full Members – FREE Entry Guests – £5.00 Entry Membership Becoming a SHP Full Member gives you full FREE access to our series of talks, along with many other benefits. Full Membership only costs £12 per year! You can learn more about Membership here (https://mechanics-trust.org.uk/membership/). Getting to Emlyn Square Bakers’ Café is at 16 Emlyn Square (SN1 5BN) at the heart of Swindon’s Railway Village. You can view the location on Google Maps here. It is easily accessible by train and bus, with the Central Bus Station just a short walk away. There are several car parks available around the Railway Village. We recommend Bristol Street Car Park for it’s proximity to Emlyn Square.

Thu 10 Sept20:30The Cricketers

via The Cricketers

Community

Around £5.00

'The Wiltshire & Berkshire Canal Trust' by Chloe Ford

The Wilts & Berks Canal Trust is a dedicated charity committed to a massive undertaking: restoring 70 miles of canal and towpath for the benefit of local communities, wildlife, and leisure enthusiasts. Restoring a Historic Waterway Their mission is to restore the full length of this historic canal, reconnecting the waterways from Wiltshire, through the heart of Swindon, and continuing into Oxfordshire. This project preserves the industrial heritage while adapting it for modern use. Why not join us September 17th 2026 at 7:30 PM at the Bakers’ Café? Cost Swindon Heritage Preservation (SHP) Full Members – FREE Entry Guests – £5.00 Entry Membership Becoming a SHP Full Member gives you full FREE access to our series of talks, along with many other benefits. Full Membership only costs £12 per year! You can learn more about Membership here (https://mechanics-trust.org.uk/membership/). Getting to Emlyn Square Bakers’ Café is at 16 Emlyn Square (SN1 5BN) at the heart of Swindon’s Railway Village. You can view the location on Google Maps here. It is easily accessible by train and bus, with the Central Bus Station just a short walk away. There are several car parks available around the Railway Village. We recommend Bristol Street Car Park for it’s proximity to Emlyn Square.

Thu 17 Sept20:30The Cricketers

via The Cricketers

Community

Around £5.00

'The Story of Thomas Richard Guppy' by Gordon Shaw

The story of Thomas Richard Guppy who was a great friend of Isambard Kingdom Brunel and a fellow engineer who helped Brunel with the GWR, SS Great Western & SS Great Britain. The presentation gives the family history and the exploits of Thomas from birth in Bristol to his death in Italy. He has a link to Swindon as he owned land in Rodbourne and also sold land for the GWR Works to expand. Why not join us October 8th 2026 at 7:30 PM at the Bakers’ Café? Cost Swindon Heritage Preservation (SHP) Full Members – FREE Entry Guests – £5.00 Entry Membership Becoming a SHP Full Member gives you full FREE access to our series of talks, along with many other benefits. Full Membership only costs £12 per year! You can learn more about Membership here (https://mechanics-trust.org.uk/membership/). Getting to Emlyn Square Bakers’ Café is at 16 Emlyn Square (SN1 5BN) at the heart of Swindon’s Railway Village. You can view the location on Google Maps here. It is easily accessible by train and bus, with the Central Bus Station just a short walk away. There are several car parks available around the Railway Village. We recommend Bristol Street Car Park for it’s proximity to Emlyn Square.

Thu 8 Oct20:30The Cricketers

via The Cricketers

Community

'The North Wessex Way' by David Mitchell

The North Wessex Way was rediscovered by David Robertson Mitchell, a local historian living near Malmesbury. ‘My wife and I were in Hay on Wye for our wedding anniversary in 2014. I have always loved old maps and I came across the Ogilby map in an old map shop. I saw that the route must run past where I lived, on roads that I knew were just country lanes. I mentioned this to Jackie and then thought nothing more of it until September that year, when she gave me the map as my 50th birthday present. I started investigating the route and gradually uncovered the fascinating history that has taken place along it, all the way back to the Iron Age. I also discovered the reason why the middle section of the route become forgotten after the arrival of the Turnpike roads and the actions of two dodgy Members of Parliament. I decided the road needed a name, and after looking at various options, I settled on calling it The North Wessex Way’. The North Wessex Way was the main route from Oxford to Bristol for three thousand years until it became The Forgotten Road. Today, the route consists mainly of A roads and B roads. But the 22 mile long section between Blunsdon and Luckington, in the middle of the route, has been forgotten. Bypassed at some point in time, the route is now made up of non-descript and narrow country lanes with nothing to show the immense history that took place along its path over the centuries.

Thu 3 Dec19:30The Cricketers

via The Cricketers

Event details on Near Here are aggregated from third-party sources and may change. Always verify times, location, availability, and any price directly with the organiser before travelling. See Terms.