Tower and Town, July 2021 (view the full edition)'This Swindon band are up there with Lennon and McCartney - and their home county is a big influence'Steve Webb, 61, lives in Cricklade. He moved to Swindon in 1984 as a reporter on the Swindon Evening Advertiser. When he left 35 years later he was assistant editor. He now works for the Swindon-based Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. He is married with two children.  There is a podcast I enjoy called My Time Capsule, in which the host asks celebrities to choose five items to store in a time capsule – four things they love, and one that they want to exclude from their lives. They can be objects, people, places or emotions. So this is My Wiltshire Time Capsule… XTC I have been a fan of this underrated Swindon band for more than 40 years. Surfing in on the late 1970s New Wave (ie punk), it soon became clear there was more to this four-piece than authority-baiting songs and gobbing at their audience. Their songs have offered plenty of food for thought, and can often bring a smile to your face. Frontman Andy Partridge’s songwriting is up there with British greats like Lennon and McCartney and Ray Davies, and their home county is a big influence on their output – listen to Chalkhills And Children, Red Brick Dream and Respectable Street. Salisbury Cathedral I am not a churchgoer and have no religious faith. But I have great admiration for the people who designed and built Britain’s medieval churches and cathedrals, and Salisbury is my favourite, with it famous spire reaching to the heavens (what a hypocrite). And the space and peace of the interior is at once calming and awe-inspiring. Egypt may have its pyramids, Greece and Rome their temples – but Wiltshire’s got Salisbury Cathedral.  © Christianity.com The River Thames Not many of the Thames’s 215 miles flow through Wiltshire, but those that do are picturesque and peaceful. For the first 11 years of my life I lived in south-east London – if I walked to the end of our street I could see the Thames as it fast approached its estuary. If I walk to the end of the street where I live now, I can see the Thames, only in its infancy, but still a big part of my life. Avebury atmosphere The village of Avebury and its famous ancient stone circle would be a worthy addition to my time capsule, but I would rather capture what I consider to be the essence of this most mysterious of locations. On visiting Avebury, the sense of history and the unknown is palpable, even at times when the place is thronged with tourists. Best time to visit? A damp, mizzly Wednesday afternoon in February. Zip up your cagoule, lace up your boots and immerse yourself in a setting that is unique. Swindon town centre This is the item I want to get rid of – at least in its current state. When I first came to Swindon, the town centre was vibrant and inviting. It is now a shadow of its former self. There’s no easy solution: a major cash injection, some imagination and creativity… I know, easier said than done. Swindon has an industrial heritage to be proud of, some beautiful parks and open spaces. I even love the Magic Roundabout. It’s just a shame that what should be the very heart of the town has all but ceased to beat. Steve Webb |