THESE photos are from a remarkable archive belonging to Swindon man Mike Dolman.

In the mid-1980s he set out to photograph every pub in Swindon and the communities around the town.

Some of the pubs whose images he preserved forever are easily recognisable, while others have changed radically and still others have gone altogether.

The photos were taken with a Canon AE1 SLR film camera.

Mr Dolman, 60, a retired civil servant who lives in Rodbourne Cheney, said: “I bought the camera from a chap I used to work with. He tried to start a photography business.

“It’s got a lens cap from the 1982 World Cup, and I hung on to it purely because of that.”

Mr Dolman went on to use the camera until about a decade ago when his son persuaded him to switch to digital photography.

He began photographing pubs to develop his skills with his new camera and because it was an interesting challenge – especially with only one lens.

“I can remember standing out in the road,” he said. “I had to move in and out of the traffic.”

We will bring your more pictures from Mr Dolman's archive over the summer.

THE BAKERS ARMS in the Railway Village, which closed some years ago, was one of Swindon’s most historic pubs. Seen here looking much as it had for decades, the venue later became an Irish theme bar.

THE GLOBE in Eastcott Road was very much a traditional pub when Mr Dolman photographed it, and remained so for around another two decades. Its emblem – Atlas bearing the world on his shoulders – can clearly be seen. Following a long period of closure it was refurbished and re-opened in 2010 by a group of local people and now thrives once more.

THE BLUE BOAR in Aldbourne has changed little in the last 30 years apart from the addition of ivy, a prominent sign and some extra outdoor tables. The centuries-old pub’s many claims to fame include being a popular haunt of American personnel during World War Two and featuring in a legendary Doctor Who story, The Daemons, in 1971.

THE COCK ROBIN in Cavendish Square was among thousands of pubs built as integral parts of new estates in the 1960s. The plain and functional exterior hid an extensive interior which included a large function room. The Cock Robin’s fortunes declined in the years prior to closure in 2003. Demolition followed a few years later.

THE THREE TUNS was one of Wroughton’s most popular pubs when Mr Dolman captured this image. Much of the structure survives, albeit as a Co-op shop. The pub closed in 2010, and the general consensus of opinion was that it fell victim to changes in drinking habits caused by issues such as alcohol taxation and the smoking ban.

THE FISHES in Highworth became Grade II Listed a few years before Mr Dolman took this photograph. Its appearance remains largely unchanged, although it is no longer a pub. The building has been home to a number of restaurants and is now Spice Kitchen.

THE CASTLE in Prospect Place is another Swindon pub whose appearance has changed only superficially from the way it was in the mid-1980s. It has long been a favourite music venue with a loyal clientele.

THE LAMB AND FLAG had been open in Bridge Street for about 130 years when Mr Dolman took this photograph. It was easily one of the town’s most historic pubs. Many years later it operated as Bar Cuba and The Flag, and is currently a branch of Cash Generator. The decorative stonework at either side of the frontage remains.

THE BELLE VUE is one of the most changed surviving venues in Mr Dolman’s collection of images. Very much a traditional Old Town pub in the mid-1980s, it is now Longs and has been expanded and altered almost beyond recognition.