Set in the Wiltshire countryside to the north west
of the area’s commercial centre Swindon, halfway
between Wootton Bassett and Cricklade, lies the
thriving village of Purton.
The village of Purton, whose name comes from the
Saxon for Pear Tree, has its origins even earlier in
the Iron Age and Roman times with the original
Neolithic settlement at Ringsbury Camp Hillfort
developing into a medieval village which formed
the basis for the modern community we see today.
Purton enjoys a range of local shops, pubs, doctors’
and dentists surgeries, a library and a museum. The
Grade I listed Church of St Mary is famed for having
both a spire and a tower and is one of only three in
the country to do so. There is also excellent local schooling with the well regarded St. Mary’s
primary school and Bradon Forest secondary school
in the village.
Purton sits on the brow of a hill with views across
to Cricklade and the Thames floodplains. The
surrounding countryside includes Bradon Forest
which stretches out to Minety in the west, a Royal
Forest which Henry VIII used to hunt in and which
once extended to around 30,000 acres.
Excellent transport links can be accessed from
Swindon with its mainline rail service and the M4
motorway (J16) is nearby. Swindon itself has a vast
array of shops and leisure facilities including
cinemas, theatres and sports centres.
In all, with its proximity to a wide variety of town
and country pursuits, Purton appeals to both young
and old alike keeping its community thriving almost
2000 years after those first settlers saw it’s
potential.
How to find Smith’s
Court, Station Road,
Purton SN5 4FF:
From Purton town centre
proceed out of the town
towards Cricklade. Smith’s
Court is on Station Road
and will be found on the
left hand side just after
Witts Lane and before
crossing the railway line.
