Tea at Twitty's

Twitty's Almshouses were open this morning for cream teas. The money raised is for Abingdon Hospital League of Friends. It cost £1.50, and for that you got a cup of tea or coffee or squash, a scone loaded with cream and a strawberry, and a raffle ticket.

... and the chance to sit out in the back yard of Twitty's almshouse for a few minutes.

The Yard

The Yard will be back at Caldecott Rec from next Monday 7th August. This is for teenagers, and kicks off with a Barbecue at Midday. This scheme has been running for three years now. If past years are anything to go by it involves some youth workers,
graffiti artwork, sound systems, and motor bikes to be overhauled.

First Canal Stretch

This map shows that the junction of the new Wilts and Berks Canal. It will be accessible from Peep-O-Day Lane.

Peep-O-Day Lane itself is only accessible by bikes, wheelchairs and pedestrians because of the concrete blocks.

Opposite the entrance to the new canal can be seen this old quarry.

The canal development can be seen across this gravel-pit lake. It is a private fishing lake.

A wide track of earth has been cleared to form the canal and wetland.

For some time the blue Environment Agency Sign has said " Site of the proposed junction of the Wilts & Berks Canal with the River Thames"

I didn't expect it to happen, but the first £160,000 stretch of the project is underway. It is planned to be opened at the end of August.

The old junction of the Wilts and Berks Canal ended at Margaret Browns Gardens in town, but that land has been built upon. The new junction is in open countryside.

Timber!

One of the Lime Trees along Caldecott Road, near the lodge at St Amand Drive, was being felled today.

The lodge itself can be seen (minus the tree) here surrounded by a wall that was built about fifteen years ago. The original wall was flattened when a builders van failed to notice it. I expect the wall and the lodge are the remnants of the once great Caldecott House.

The tree rings were difficult to count because the saw erased the outer marks. There were eighteen near the centre, but I would guess there were three times that amount.

South Avenue Numbers explained

South Avenue Numbers

There are 5 roads in Abingdon with House Numbers that go over 250:

* Radley Road - 279
* Wootton Road - 277
* Ock Street - 274
* Saxton Road - 254
* South Avenue - 253

All the other high numbering roads follow a straight line, but South Avenue is not what most people think of as an Avenue - that is a wide tree lined boulevard or driveway. It is situated off the Oxford Road.

Roadsigns with numbers have been put up to try to help visitors, and an attempt has already been made to rationalise the numbers. Originally when these houses were built from about 1946 to 1948 much of this area was called South Avenue Estate with numbers 1-160. In 1962 the estate was renamed as South Avenue and the current numbers adopted. Number 253 had been a lowly number 23.

South Avenue has never been adopted by the County Council

Lost Tortoise

This sheet was seen in the Abbey Meadow Grounds. It says "Toby, escaped into the Abbey Gardens Friday Lunchtime July 21st, then carried out in a black plastic bucket. A much loved pet. He has been with us for 62 years, so we are distraught!"

Abingdon in Bloom

Last weeks Abingdon Herald said "Two judges spent three hours in and around the town... Abingdon is in the large town section of the competition... If the town wins the regional section... it could go forward to the national competition next year."

The bloom was different this year because of the drought. There is watering to be done, as can be seen from this Town Council truck on the bridge.

However look at the rest of the bridge and you will see that there is not the usual array of thirsty hanging baskets to welcome visitors across Abingdon Bridge.

"A new category this year is for gardeners who consider environmental principles. Agenda 21 is a Europe-wide initiative to encourage individuals and businesses to think carefully about resources." Abingdon has taken this to heart this year.

One alternative to hanging baskets were these 450th Anniversary banners on the flagpoles fronting the market place.

But there are still flowers in abundance. Abingdon School have created this bed of bizzie lizzies in front of their old school yard at the Roysse Room. This is to commemorate their 750th anniversary.

And there are the usual display of tubs on the river side at St Helens Wharf.