Author Archives: Back Streeter

Second Re-opening

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Notices are appearing in some shop doors to say that they are re-opening on 12th April.

Lots of us have had the vaccine. The second wave of the Coronavirus pandemic is going down.

Some shops in Abingdon town centre have a pile of junk mail waiting for them on the doorstep.

One hairdresser still has the Christmas Tree on display.

Bury Street has had a Spring Clean before next week’s re-opening.

Catering premises that have an outdoor area are also re-opening from 12th April. They expect to re-open indoors in May.

Oxfam is due to re-open, a couple of days later, on 14th April.

Shop safely! Let us hope that there won’t be a third wave.

Easter Monday – New Willow, Flag Half Mast, Pom-Poms, and Pavement Cleaning

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Hester has send me a picture of the new Willow that has been planted outside the Old Gaol to replace the one that was cut down.

On the County Hall the flag is flying at half-mast.

Dr Vernon Butt, Freeman of Abingdon and Past Mayor, died a year ago. At the time the Town Council were unable to mark his passing by flying the town flag at half-mast and so they are doing so to mark the anniversary of his passing.

Click here for a link to the Town Council’s news item.

The trees on the Market Place, in front of the County Hall, have been decorated with pom-poms and rainbows over Easter.

Today, a section of Bury Street was cordoned off while some workmen gave it a power clean. They were using a machine with a rotating wire buffer and water spray.

Happy Easter. Last time the church met it was Merry Christmas.

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It was Easter Sunday and Trinity Church building was open for a service for the first time since Christmas Day morning.

The volunteer gardeners have kept the garden in good trim.

Flowers on the window sills round the church were lit up by the sun. We had the usual Easter Day hymns, most were videos shown on the screen, but Kate sang one live with Revd. Ian playing the piano. He also preached. The reading was Jesus greeting Mary Magdalene in the garden. She thought it was the gardener until he said ‘Mary’!

Five Willows in Abingdon – with new leaves

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My favourite Willow tree is the one in the Margaret Brown Gardens. You can stand under that tree and look through the long trailing branches down the long stretch of the River Thames towards Culham. Sometimes the branches hang like a string curtain, but in this picture the wind is throwing the slender branches back and forth and round.

On the other side of the Iron Bridge, there are a row of willows that shade the River Ock in Summer.

About half way along the Ock Valley Walk is a tree with a bare trunk covered in dark ivy. It has a top knot of leaves, and a curtain of thin branches.

Next to Abingdon Baptist Church is a well shaped weeping willow with its own gated area.

On the island in the Abbey Gardens are two or more willows that have grown together into a mound.


P.S And here is the Willow that once stood in front of the Old Gaol with thanks to Brian.