The Old House at Coate, which is owned by Swindon Borough Council, has been open to the public only at very limited times in the past, but now plans are afoot to turn it, Coate Water and other aspects of the immediate area into a tourist trap.

The project is being spearheaded by volunteers from The Richard Jefferies Society, with support from the Swindon Cultural Partnership.

Alfred Williams never met Richard Jefferies (although their lives overlapped by ten years), but the former greatly admired the latter and was certainly inspired by the fellow naturalist and writer. This link between the two was recognised by a small part of the museum being dedicated to Alfred, and the home page of the website mirrors this by including a prominent link to this site.

But the common ground between the two is emphasized most of all by the design of the masthead of the site which, like this site, is based on the outline of Liddington Hill - a place loved by both writers and still a local icon for modern day Swindonians.

Fears that Jefferies' home and a building that was well known to Alfred Williams faced an uncertain future should turn to real hope for our heritage if these ambitious plans come to fruition.

Those behind the plan are bold enough to admit: "If the Old House at Coate is to reach its full potential, there will need to be more imaginative approaches to how the museum operates," and go on to talk of a range of hoped-for initiatives, including the involvement of members of Swindon rock group XTC and the use of digital technology.

John Cullimore, Chairman of the Alfred Williams Heritage Society, said: "The Alfred Williams Heritage Society wholeheartedly supports all initiatives which aim to preserve and enhance the historical, social and cultural heritage of Swindon and its neighbours, and this project deserves the support of everybody in the town."

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