MY STREET CHALLENGE - DEWELL MEWS

The houses in Dewell Mews were built in the late 1980s on the site of the old Cattle Market in the Old Town area of Swindon.  The original Cattle Market was first established in Swindon in 1780 and built by William Dore - and I wonder if a road in Swindon is named after him?  The Cattle Market was situated between Marlborough Road and Old Town Station, which is sadly long gone and was a great place to visit.

Monday was a very important day in Swindon because it was Market Day.  I can remember going up there a child and wandering round looking at all the sheep, cows and other animals and listening to the auctioneers - I never could understand what they were saying, but all the farmers seemed to know.  

The sculpture of a ram by Jon Buck is an Old Wiltshire Horn Sheep, a breed of domestic sheep, and originally raised for meat.  It was once one of the most important breeds in the county and apparently, it has the unusual feature of moulting its short wood and hair coat naturally in spring, alleviating the need for shearing, which would obviously have saved the sheep farmer quite a lot of money.  Interestingly, males and females both have horns and ram horns will grow one full spiral each year until maturity.

The sculptor wanted to make a traditional representation of a classic breed but thought that this breed was extinct.  However, he discovered that this was not so, but had survived as a rare breed, so he was able to visit the people who owned a flock of the sheep and make drawings before he began his work. 

The sculpture was commissioned by Trencherwood Homes, the developer of this site, and the local Council and was placed here to commemorate the old Cattle Market.  I have no idea when the wellie boots were added! I have tried to find out the origins of the name “Dewell” but can’t find anything.  In fact, I even rang the Council and spoke to a lovely lady called Liz, but she wasn’t able to help me either.  

The only connection I have with Dewell Mews is that I used to park here when I worked just round the corner in Newport Street, and I remember that the Tea Lady from Townsends, featured in my blip of the 6th July for Cricklade Street,  lived here.

“If wool shrinks when you wash it, 
     why don't sheep get smaller 
          when it rains?” 
Ron Brackin

P.S.  I might add I got some rather funny looks from people walking by when I was taking photographs - but you know us blippers - we don't let things like that bother us!

ADDENDUM   I had an email today (Tuesday 12th)  from Liz, the lady at the Council, who said that she had found a folder at the back of a cupboard with information relating to my Blip for yesterday about Dewell Mews - apparently, it was named in 1990 from “The Goddard Family” theme - a prominent family in Swindon and North Wiltshire - Charles Dewell married Mary, the daughter of Anthony Goddard.  How very kind of her!  She apologised for not being able to provide the information yesterday, but said she now knows the folder exists.  I also heard from another friend that Dr. Timothy Dewell was an incumbent at Lydiard Tregoze and there is a plaque in the church to this effect.  I delved a bit deeper and it transpires that Charles Dewell was his son.