A TWO-YEAR survey has just been completed into Swindon's outstanding architectural sites.

If that sounds like a long time to devote to a borough not renowned for its architectural splendour then think again.

There are no fewer than 28 areas of special architectural importance in Swindon protected from development by law.

Council conservation officer Neil Buick, who conducted the survey, admitted that even he was surprised at the richness of the borough's architectural heritage.

He said: "I've lived here for 15 years and I didn't know there was such diversity. You find places such as Inglesham and Hodson hidden little gems that people don't know about.

"They are so close to Swindon people slag off Swindon but within five minutes you can be in some very nice places."

That's not to say that you have to go outside the town centre to find areas of historic interest.

The designated conservation areas include nine sites in Swindon town including unlikely islands of beauty in Rodbourne Cheney, Devizes Road and Prospect Place.

Although swallowed up by the greedily expanding borough of Swindon in the early 20th century, Rodbourne Cheney was once a medieval village centred around a 13th century manor and church.

The small conservation area around the remnants of the ancient village green includes the 16th century Manor House, a row of typical North Wiltshire stone cottages and the ancient stream, or "bourn" which gives the area its name.

Mr Buick said: "When you drive past it you could easily miss it completely but it's a little oasis."

Devizes Road forms the fourth side of a rectangle of streets, whose other sides (Newport Street, High Street and Wood Street) date from the 13th century. It is protected because of its notable selection of brick and stone-built prosperous nineteenth century residences.

The Prospect Place conservation area in Old Town protects a pocket of charming 19th century terraced homes, many of which unusually for Swindon, pre-date the foundation of the GWR works in 1841.

The area around Arkell's Brewery in Stratton St Margaret is another hidden architectural gem which has been swallowed, but luckily not destroyed, by the urban sprawl of Swindon.

The Kingsdown conservation area protects the hamlet which grew up around the town's 1861 brewery.

Mr Buick said: "It is especially notable because it contains a relatively unaltered collection of buildings and land related to a single industry. As such it is comparable, though at a much smaller scale, to the Swindon Railway Works conservation area."

Out of town many of the villages dotted around Swindon but inside the borough boundary qualify for conservation area status.

They include secluded hamlets such as Hodson, three miles south of the town centre, and Upper Inglesham at the northern edge of the borough.

Set in some of the least spoiled downland countryside in England, Hodson is in a fairytale valley setting next to Burderop Wood a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Virtually every building is listed and most date from the 17th and 18th century.

The survival of the village pub makes Hodson particularly worth a visit.

Upper Inglesham is another ancient settlement which is agricultural in origin. It includes four listed 18th century farmhouses interspersed with stone cottages, mixed hedgerows and mature trees.

Although there are only 25 houses in the hamlet there is also a licensed restaurant, Inglesham Forge, which provides an added incentive to visit this charming hamlet.

Out of the 28 conservation areas the undoubted star attraction remains the Great Western Railway works.

The former workshop buildings, church, park and railway cottages remain the town's main claim to fame and are unique record of enlightened development from Britain's proud industrial past.

They also represent a major success story for council planners who bought the site in the late 1960s saving it from destruction.

It is now one of just a handful of British sites being in the running for UN World Heritage status.

Borough council team leader for consvervation Robert Bruce said: "There's nothing else like it left in England. Former railway towns such as York and Crewe have lost their railway buildings no-one has a collection like this, it's unique.

"People come from all over the country and all over the world to look at Swindon railway works because people find it interesting that we've used conservation to aid economic activity rather than using it just to pickle things.

"It was almost knocked down at the end of the 1960s but the borough had the vision to keep it."

He said: "Swindon is the smallest district around compared to other local authority areas but it has a large number of historic buildings for its size."

The 28 Conservation Area appraisals have been packaged in 28 bound volumes and should make interesting reading for anyone with a penchant for local history and architecture.

They are priced £3 each and are available to buy from the council, telephone 463000. There is also a full set in the reference section of Central Library.