HERE is our latest selection from the archive of pub photographs assembled by Swindon man Mike Dolman in the mid-1980s.

Mr Dolman is a retired civil servant who lives in Rodbourne Cheney.

The pictures on these pages were taken using a Canon AE1 SLR. He bought the camera from a former colleague who had tried to set up a photography business.

Mr Dolman decided to photograph every pub in and around Swindon to develop his skills with the Canon, which he still owns.

THE GODDARD ARMS

BEARING the name of the family whose former estate is now the Lawns, the hotel dates back to the 16th Century and is one of Swindon’s oldest buildings. It has had some ups and downs since the turn of the century, including a long period of closure, but is very much open for business.

THE ROYAL GEORGE, PURTON

NAMED in honour of an 18th century Royal Navy vessel, this traditional pub in Pavenhill has undergone some cosmetic changes but remains a popular venue among locals and visitors alike. When the photograph was taken The Royal George offered only bar food, but it has since evolved into a bar/restaurant.

THE KINGSDOWN, SWINDON

THERE is a more striking external paint scheme these days but The Kingsdown, like the nearby Arkell’s brewery, is among Upper Stratton’s most instantly recognisable landmarks. The original Kingsdown was the firm’s first pub, but was swallowed up by the expanding brewery site and replaced by the present building.

QUEEN'S HOTEL, SWINDON

SHADOWED and looking a little forbidding in this image, the Station Road pub was to become one of town centre’s best-known live music and sports TV venues. It would also change its name to The Queen's Tap. It is one of the oldest pubs in what was once known as New Swindon.

THE REGENT, SWINDON

NOW known as The Regent Hotel, the Victoria Road pub is shown here wearing signage typical of the era. Like many of the surviving venues photographed during Mr Dolman’s mid-1980s odyssey, it has kept up with changing tastes in drinks, accommodation and music.

CALLEY ARMS, WANBOROUGH

SOME of the traditional village pubs photographed by Mr Dolman have since fallen victim to economic crises and changing drinking habits. They have become homes, shops, or been demolished. The Calley Arms – now the New Calley Arms, is still going strong. Its recent history is dominated by a thorough revamp into a social hub with food and entertainment as well as drinks.

BROWN JACK, WROUGHTON

NAMED for a famous locally-trained racehorse of the Thirties and Forties, the Brown Jack is one of several Wroughton pubs whose names evoke the community’s equestrian history. The shape of the building hasn’t changed, but the colour scheme has.

FORESTER’S ARMS, COMMON PLATT

FOR several years now, Casa Paolo has been a popular destination for lovers of Italian cuisine, especially those who prefer classic country-style recipes. The building has been around since the early 19th century and was familiar to generations of people as the Foresters Arms.

THE OLD BEAR, CRICKLADE

THE shop on the left of the image is now a Boots pharmacy and the one on the right is a different estate agency, but The Old Bear remains a reassuring symbol of continuity. According to Arkell’s, the earliest building on the site dates from the 1690s and by 1786 an inn there traded as The Saracen's Head. Changes of name saw it become The Bear and then the Old Bear.