Walking St Frideswide’s Way: Oxford to Abingdon

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I mentioned St Frideswide’s Way in an earlier post, and today I walked the section between Oxford and Abingdon.

The route follows the Thames Path for part of the way, but also takes in churches at Iffley, Littlemore, Sandford and Radley. From Radley, it continues via Radley Lakes to Abingdon. The total distance is 11.3 miles. Guides to the route are available from Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford.

One of the nice surprises was finding that all the seven churches and one Christian Community I visited were open. This gave me the opportunity to collect pilgrims’ stamps along the way, including those at St Nicolas and St Helen’s in Abingdon.


I knew very little about St Frideswide before setting out. She was an Anglo-Saxon princess who lived around the late seventh and early eighth centuries and is regarded as the patron saint of Oxford.

According to legend, Frideswide decided to devote her life to God rather than marry. However, a prince named Algar was determined to make her his wife. She refused his advances and fled, eventually finding refuge in the Oxford area. The story goes that Algar pursued her into Oxford and was struck blind. Frideswide offered to heal him on the condition that he abandon his pursuit of her. He agreed, and his sight was restored.

Frideswide went on to establish a religious community on the site where Christ Church Cathedral now stands. Her shrine remains in the cathedral, although her relics disappeared during the Reformation, when the original shrine was destroyed.

However, for me, the highlight of the walk was visiting The College at Littlemore, where John Henry Newman lived from 1842 to 1846. It is now a small religious community.


The next section of St Frideswide’s Way, from Abingdon to Dorchester, is about 12.5 miles. That will have to wait for another day.

P.S. Please let me know if you encounter any problems with the blog. I have moved it to a more modern package that should be easier to maintain. There is still one further change to make – which is now possible.

The Clocks Go Back. Not Altogether.

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The clocks went back an hour overnight, marking the end of British Summer Time (BST, UTC+1) and the start of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT, UTC+0). Some clocks adjusted themselves automatically. Others needed a helping hand.

The two most noticeable clocks in the town centre were telling different times this morning. St Helen’s Church clock had not yet been put back, while St Nicolas’ Church clock had been adjusted. St Helens still depends on somebody making the change. St Nicolas may be automatic.

Abingdon Craft Fair at St Helen and St Katharine

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This year, the Abingdon Craft Fair has moved to St Helen and St Katharine School on Faringdon Road, Abingdon, because of the refurbishment of the Abbey Buildings. The fair is open from Friday to Sunday.

It is an attractive and interesting venue, with well-lit rooms, large windows, beautiful corridors and a verandah overlooking a green. Some of the old external façades have been incorporated into the interior spaces, giving the building added character. It was also noticeably warmer than the Abbey Buildings.

There was a good crowd when we arrived on Saturday lunchtime, with plenty of craft stalls to browse.

The jug featured on the Craft Fair poster for several years was made by Jeanne Jackson of Shepherds Cottage Pottery in Horspath. That particular jug was sold years ago, but Jeanne had a similar one on her stall, along with many other attractive pieces.

There were also familiar faces from Abingdon Artists, including Clare Cross, whose work could be seen in a different setting.

I also saw the lady I had seen spinning during Heritage Open Day. She was  turning fleece into yarn using the naturally coloured wool from her own flock of 57 sheep near Wallingford.

The Berry Bakery was running a café area serving soup, sausage rolls, cakes and hot drinks – a welcome stop for visitors.

Paul, one of the organisers, said they had chosen the venue because it had character and offered much more than a bare school hall.

There were also reminders of the school’s own achievements. St Helen and St Katharine was named Independent Girls’ School of the Year in 2025, and the walls displayed some excellent artwork by its students. One display was the Year 5 Aquarium.

Prices in Stert Street: Five Years Since Closure

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It is five years since Prices, the stationer and art materials supplier in Stert Street, announced on 25 October 2021 that it would be closing. The Prices sign is still in place above the shop, even though the business closed in December 2021.

A planning application is currently being considered for internal fire safety improvements and modifications to the stairs. Some building work also appears to have taken place inside the property.

The building is Grade II listed and is thought to date from the 17th century. It has a stucco and timber-framed front elevation with two gables.

The building’s listed status, along with its current condition and the work needed to bring it up to standard, may be complicating plans for its future. I cannot see any sign that the premises will reopen as a shop in 2026.

P.S. Like the old building, this creaky old blog is also due for some work. It will be migrated to a new host within the next 72 hours, which could mean Saturday, Monday or possibly later. The blog may be unavailable during the move. Hopefully, unlike some old buildings, it will emerge at the other end without the need for too much remedial work.