The one remaining butcher

The trend to supermarket shopping has reduced the number of butchers shops in the town centre to one. A casual visitor might not realise that one existed.

But a few chalked 'A' boards tell of the presence of a shop along one of the little frequented paths in the town centre - Queen Street.

Hedges have a grand shop window display in the Oxford Covered Market , but Hedges in Abingdon are a lot less showey.

The main business of the Abingdon branch appears to be delivering to pubs and restaurants and hotels and homes.

A tree hole

This tree shows signs of trauma.

It is to be found beneath a Motte - the remains of a medieaval Motte and Bailey, on the Fitzharry's estate. Its an interesting wooded area in the middle of an Abingdon housing estate. Children ride bikes up the Motte.

The hole goes right through to high up on the other side of the tree so you can look through. Such holes build up over time whether through water, disease, or infestation.

Pothole Tourist

I went to investigate a report from the Tithe Farm and Ladygrove Newsletter - December 2007. It read "... there are an alarming number of potholes and cracks in the road surfaces. The ones in Mill Road have now white lines marked around them. This may mean

a) They are about to be repaired
b) Once the council has marked them, they are no longer liable if someone has an accident
c) They have been designated a tourist attraction..."

When I got to Mill Road the tourist attraction had been removed. But as you can see from the first picture there are still ones to be seen in Exbourne Road.

Boundary Walk - New Year's Day 2008

Councillor Martin Smith conducted the Walk round the 1556 Abingdon boundaries, aided and abetted by the town crier and other aides.

It started sensibly enough at the Market Place.

Then went along by the Ock Valley walk. Modern day bicycles were left padlocked behind at this point.

Martin Smith read out the route from the 1556 charter:

"...where the said little stream of the Ock falls unto the Thames as aforesaid, and from thence by and through the aforesaid little Stream of the Ock including the same little stream unto the aforesaid Bridge of the Ock called the Ock Bridge, and...."

During this ancient walk, we did loose our 21st century road sense at times.

"... and from thence by and through another publick way a little turning towards the North untill you come to a certain Crooked little Ditch inclining towards the East, which said little Ditch together with the aforesaid publick way..."

The walk ended over the weir beside the lock keepers cottage.

"...the Borough shall extend and stretch itselfe from the Locks aforesaid, called the Abbey Locks, through the whole River Thames, including the same River unto the Bridge called the New Bridge built upon and over the said River of Thames.... and from thence by and through..."

Baby Swings

This is one of the - old style - baby swings as found in the play park at Ladygrove Meadow.

This is one of the - next level - baby swings as found at Caldecott Rec.

1. It has a system to stop vandals wrapping it over the top
2. The chains are shorter
3. The seat is deeper

I remember learning to swing. I reckon it would be more difficult to learn with the new style swing. So is that progress?

Fairacres - to the next level

This is one place where AbITs (Abingdon Integrated Traffic Strategy) had a notable success with the completion of the dual carriageway from the A34 to Tesco and Fairacres over the road.

The Fairacres retail park has seen big changes this year to take it "to the next level". This is the first major revamp since the park was built in 1969.

Mays Carpets (an old Abingdon retailer) has became part of the larger Carpet right chain, and the May family now concentrate on managing the property park.

Most of the new stores have been completed. Pets at home is nearing completion.

Between Argos and Carpet right, where the Ab Fab cafe used to be, building continues on what looks like the last retail unit (s). So who might go there? One rumour doing the rounds is that Woolworths and/or Boots will move out of town. Hopefully it is just a rumour.

This board encourages people to venture on to Abingdon Town Centre - England's Oldest Town - where AbITs has hit more problems.

Swan Ahoy

The Riverside development can be seen behind the recently restored Victorian Lake. That view must be worth a bit.