The Abingdon Blog

The Abingdon Blog is a photo record of events and places in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, started on January 1st 2006.

Saturday, 12 September 2009

Ock Narrowing Work


Along the River Ock, beside Ladygrove Meadow, work is being carried out to reinforce the bank. For a long time this bank has eroded, and an old sewage pipe has been completely exposed at the edge of the water. So it needs strengthening, but you can see how narrow they are making it and creating a potential flood risk.

Jim King from Chaunterell Way, and a member of the Ock Valley Flood Group, is one of those planning to ensure something is done about this. He says the opposite bank needs clearing and widening.

Friday, 11 September 2009

Summer's End


Things are beginning to look a bit more autumnal. These berries in the Abbey Meadows...

and the Virginia Creeper on the Citizens advice Bureau tell their own story... Schools are all back. And it's Heritage Open Day tomorrow in Abingdon. That always keeps me busy. This year I'll be going round dressed as a monk...

This is one thing you won't be able to see. St Michael's should be open and their new labyrinth, but you won't be able to see behind the alter. That only gets opened on special religious occasions not Heritage Open Days. I'm not totally sure of my facts, and am hoping to be corrected, but I understand one of their ex vicars quite some time ago took a hammer to it.

Thursday, 10 September 2009

No Overnight Parking


At Reynolds Way Shops prominence is given 'No Overnight Parking Of Heavy Good Vehicles.' It may have once been a problem, but the sign must have worked because I can't see any lorries parked here.

Wednesday, 9 September 2009

Albert Park Area's Annual Party


Thanks to John ... some pictures from the Albert Park area's annual Party in the Park last Sunday,

with Mike Green doing his conjuring and "Strings Attached" entertainment

For the the rest of us there is Fun in The Parks this Sunday... "from 2.00pm in the rival Abbey Grounds, Abingdon. The event will be opened by the Mayor of Abingdon, Councillor Patricia Hobby, and will include a climbing wall, children’s roundabouts, cartoon workshops by local cartoonist Scooter McKenzie (see his blog in local blogs), arena displays, brass bands, winners from Abingdon’s Got Talent, tug of war, stalls, games, barbecue, refreshments plus lots more. ADMISSION IS FREE." As a taster here is the blog post from last year.

Tuesday, 8 September 2009

St Helen and Cross?


I have been doing a quiz put together by Abingdon Vale Cricket Club. One question it asks is what object is St Helen holding. By a process of elimination I think this statue is St Helen on the wall of St Helen's Church.

What I do read on wikipedia is that Helen, the mother of Emperor Constantine, went to the Holy Land and during excavation work for a new church discovered three crosses. In a clever move, Helen had a sick woman brought in and the woman was asked to touch each cross in turn. The first two crosses had no effect on her illness, but touching the third effected a sudden cure, and so Helen declared that they had unearthed the True Cross.

St Helen should be holding a cross, but it is difficult to tell. That could be a broken cross or it could be a book.

Monday, 7 September 2009

Paint Jobs


A couple of our more well established shops have had a paint job. Strollin has been painted from roof to shop window and looks much smarter..

And Crumbs Sandwich Bar was first painted white over orange, but ended by being painting orange over white.

Sunday, 6 September 2009

Baptisms at the Outdoor Pool


This morning the Vineyard Church had their service at the outdoor pool. Ray Ball is explaining what baptism means in this picture.

Two of their members were baptised, total immersion, to demonstrate the commitment they had made to God.

I didn't get any pictures of the actual baptism since I volunteered to hold the video camera. I am worrying whether I turned it on at that most important moment near the end when one of Ray's family was baptised... If I did then Ray will send me some stills to update this post.