Abingdon Co-op in Bloom

Time passes and the Co-op site has begun to see blooms moving back in to colonise what appears, at first sight, a poor habitat:

rosebay willowherb

buddleia (with varieties enough to form a National Collection)

evening primrose

sunset glory...

I got it wrong earlier this year predicting work would start on the Co-op in the summer. The summer is almost over, and this area is fast becoming an area of special scientific interest.

Abingdon Bowling Club Green

Early in the morning two men were caring for the grass at Abingdon Bowling Club. The man on the right has the mower.

The other man has a special orange machine.

The final result is difficult to judge - it looks so near perfection. I'd give 9.9 points to the man with the mower, and 10 points to the man with the orange machine, only because he is wearing belt and braces. (In the USA 'belt and suspenders')

willowbrook development

The latest housing development in Abingdon, on the ex-MG land next to the Police Station, is called willowbrook. The poster says

'making a big splash in
abingdon's housing market'

The lady from the sales office waters the plants in the early morning.

Looking through the development towards the Police Station

Kingscraft Day Boats

All the boats were out on Bank Holiday Monday. Between 4 and 5 P.M they came back to base at Kingcraft Boat Centre on Nags Head Island.

Captain Jack...

Captain Clarry...

All the other Captains...

Electrics Gem (a larger type of boat) and all the other Electrics ... Un-named rowing boats...

and Captain King.

(Glad to see all is clear again today after Saturday's Lock Jam)

Abingdon Cemeteries

There are two main cemeteries in Abingdon: the Old and the New.

In the Old Cemetery there are two identical looking chapels. You'll have to imagine the other.

Here you feel surrounded by history. It may feel like a sacred place to people with loved ones here, or who have booked a plot here.

And this is the New Cemetery. Two hot air balloons drift across from left to right.

Two people walk together down the path. I just watch them for a moment, then leave.

Museum Roof Open

The museum roof is open most weekends during summer. In the foreground is the Old Gaol, and near the horizon: Didcot Power Station.

From up on the roof you can even see the occasional Pink Limo.

This view is down Bridge Street. Abingdon looks quite idyllic in this view. Its not idyllic. Its a real place.

Not Quite Cricket - Croquet

At Abingdon Vale Cricket ground, croquet was being played today. This game involves hitting a ball through hoops with a long mallet, and may well be a distant cousin of Cricket, but I haven't see it before at the Cricket Ground.

St Helens Wharf

The Plane trees along St Helens Wharf were cut back last autumn, and started growing back slowly. This is a before-the-flood picture taken six weeks ago.

Six weeks on, and the sun has returned for the August bank holiday. Those leaves have got going.

Peachcroft Christian Centre

Last year I watched with interest the re-development of the Peachcroft Christian Centre. It started with a church not much bigger than a Ford Ka. The bit to the right of the red Ford Ka is the original church.

The much larger building was opened back in May 2007, and so this post will be old news to most people.

There are lots of pictures of the building and opening on the peachcroftcc.org website. It is the only church website I know of in Abingdon where you can listen to mp3 sermons.

Enter The Abbey

The gateway was built around 1460 and served to divide Town (this side) from Abingdon Abbey (that).

Over the central arch can be seen the arms of Abingdon Abbey with the four birds (mythical martlets) and a cross.

At the top are four gargoyles, the rightmost one resembles a pig. Not all of the gargoyles are as old as the gateway.

As you go through the gateway you will find that there are buildings that really date back to the Abbey, and others that look like they might, but don't.

There is also a sign to the medieval gardens...

Pet's Paradise - but not children's

CD Department Closing Down SALE.

Recently closed down Toy Shop.

Traditional pet shop .... expanding.

Another even larger pet shop is on its way at Fairacres, out of town, called Pet City or Pet Supermarket or Pet Paradise or something like that.

In Memory... of the flood

One of the seats on the Ock Valley Walk that commemorates somebody who loved this walk. The tree behind is suffering an early autumn, perhaps an early end.

Glimpsing through to Meadowside: just one of the places near the Ock that got flooded.

You hear from people who will not be back in their homes until after Christmas. In some cases external walls need rebuilding as the mortar can be pierced by a screwdriver. In others, the lower floors need re-plastering and re-wiring. The wet weather is not helping them dry out.

Souvenirs of Abingdon

With Hathaways closing, there are other places where you can still get Abingdon souvenirs, including the museum, bookshops, and the Gift Centre.

The Gift Centre in the precinct currently has a window display with a range of souvenirs of Abingdon including: writing cards, mugs, tea towels, thimbles and place mats. The window display also has a selection of paintings of Abingdon by local artists (there are more upstairs in the gallery), and a new booklet, and accompanying DVD, "12 Walks around Abingdon" - containing walks in Abingdon, and surrounding villages.

Rugby Sevens Tournament

Abingdon Rugby Club holds one of the oldest Club Rugby Sevens Tournaments in England, originating in 1956, and held at the Southern Town Park. Todays tournament started at midday and went on until about six.

Rave on the River in the Rain

The Breakfreekz 2007 Boat Party passed alongside us at Abingdon Lock, as we walked down the river towards Swift Ditch. They had come from Oxford and were returning that way. The music stopped for as long as it took to get through the Lock. It had started to rain.

By the time we reach Swift Ditch, the boat had left us some way behind and all we could hear was the thump of the drum N bass - from the rave on the river in the rain.

Abingdon Town Bus

The Abingdon Town Bus is pictured here at St Helens Wharf. You can't see the passengers because there are just too many flowers!

The original timetable, started last year, was difficult to keep to and is likely to be changed in the autumn.

A summer like no other

This is the top of a wet Stert Street yesterday evening. AbITS work is underway to widen the pavement - something that should help protect the jutting out side of The Knowl building - built around 1580, with a lot of rebuilding in the 18th Century including a fine staircase....

and this is the Market Place, pictured a few minutes later, with rainwater running away along the newly made channels. I shouldn't think the hanging baskets have really needed THAT much watering.

It has been a summer like no other.

Return to the Hanging Baskets

Last year there were not the usual number of hanging baskets in town because of the drought, but this year they are back in profusion.

These ones next to the War Memorial might well have impressed the Britain in Bloom judges, but there will be no judges visiting Abingdon this year because of the recent floods. Town Council staff have been concentrating more on flood reparations than Britain in Bloom. Only the judging of private displays will go ahead.

This basket is next to Twitty's Almshouse.

Cockles and Mussels, alive, alive-O!

Here can be seen the shellfish at an Abingdon supermarket.

Included here are: King Prawns, Seafood Sticks, Canadian Lobster, New Zealand half- shell Green Mussels, Fantail Prawns, Seafood Cocktail, Cockles, and Mussels, Madagascan Crevettes, Tiger Prawns, Cromer Crab (dressed and undressed), and North Atlantic Prawns.

Last week on holiday I was gazing at a similar display. The main difference being that a lot of the creatures then were still Alive. The crabs kept trying to walk away.

Beside the Seaside

There are times when Abingdon does feel like the seaside. This view down Queen Street towards the top of the County Hall often makes me think of the pier at Brighton.


This window display of Frugal food uses two bathing beauties to help promote natural sun creams, and insect repellents.

Off on my hols for a few days.... back soon.

AbITS Part 2

The orange barriers are back, initially, on Broad Street where they've removed a low mounded wall, and a tree. Soon the workmen will progress to Stert Street to widen the pavements, and narrow the road. This is the second part of the AbITS (Abingdon Integrated Transport Strategy) scheme. The objectives of the scheme included:

* promote safer, more pleasant and more convenient conditions for pedestrians and cyclists

An elderly gentleman was seriously injured yesterday in a road accident in Stert Street. A lorry delivering tarmac to cover this area hit him. (news detail @ Oxford Mail )

Market Returns

This picture was taken at 6:50 AM as the stall holders were setting up on the Market Place for the first time since February. The Market Place work is nearly complete and they have returned from their temporary residence at the Civic Car park.

New Kitchen

At Preston Road Community Centre there was a gathering to open the new kitchen.

Julie Mayhew Archer, chairman of the Vale of the White Horse District Council, was there, as were representatives of groups like WREN which also gave grants.

There was the Mayor, Lorraine Oates and the Deputy Mayor, Pat Lonergan, and local people.

Mick Busby, the chair of the community centre, asked Councillor Mary De Vere to cut the ribbon, because of all her hard work on fund raising for the project.

The community centre and kitchen are there for the use of the community,whether that be community groups, or people who hire the hall for functions. For more information visit the Community Centre Webpage.

Its like a village hall: for the southern part of the town. Elsewhere in Abingdon are community centres such as :Hadland Road, Long Furlong, and Peachcroft,(and I am reminded by the comment Northcourt. Sorry Northcourt!).

Hathaways Closing

In the centre of this typical Hathaways window display there is a yellow notice:

"Hathaways" formerly owned and run by Mr A. C. Rogers (known to us all as Con.) will cease trading at the end of business on

Saturday 1st September 2007.

His children have taken the decision with considerable regret and they would like to thank the staff for managing the shop since their father's death in December 2006.

They would also like to thank all the customers past and present for their valued custom.

The closure is rumoured to be because of inheritance tax.

Send Out The Dove

The dove (or perhaps it is a pigeon) has returned from flying over Abingdon surveying the water level.

The level of the River Thames has gone down several steps from last week's high.

The River Ock now flows at a much lower level beneath the Drayton Road.

BUT the Ock Valley Walk has been eroded and patched up, trees have fallen and caused mud slides into the river, a lot of the work the Green Gym did wood chipping a second path is washed away...

And people are still in temporary accommodation. The elderly people who live in these homes are likely to have quite a long wait until they return home.

No olive branch quite yet.

Crystals

Before going away last Friday, we were several tent pegs short, and I went to our local outdoor shop to try to find some. Unfortunately they had just sold their last two lots.

On the way back home I passed Crystals, the shop in Lombard Street.

Steve, the manager, came out of the shop and said, "Do you still need the tent pegs?"

"What???" I couldn't remember telling him we needed tent pegs.

Anyway, Steve left to find some tent pegs from his flat nearby.

There was a simple explanation: my wife had told Steve we needed tent pegs.

(Moral of the story: It can seem like magic when somebody unexpectedly helps you.)

After the Flood

The Market Place has been fenced off since February for a redesign. Today, for the first time, the fences were taken down.

People were sitting on the new seats, where the trees will be. Workmen were taking away the fences.

A stone commemorating the Royal Charter is now to be seen at the centre of the paths.

The Monday Market has been held in the Civic Carpark, but at long last it will return to its rightful place this coming Monday.

The only thing remaining is to plant some trees, and plant some flowers, and send out a dove to see whether the floods have completely gone yet.