The Local Excellence Market was on in Abingdon this morning. The Town Crier was there to announce what else was happening in town – possibly the flower festival at St Michael’s Church, and the Dunmore Pre-School 50th anniversary. I was too high up to hear.

The trees are turning a deeper shade of amber as September draws to a close.

I saw the first adverts for the Christmas Extravaganza. After S Club 3 last year, The Honeyz will be performing this year. For the first time, brochures will go to every house in Abingdon.

Enjoying the views from the County Hall roof was a lady from Australia. After three days at the Crown and Thistle recovering from the flight over, she will be going to Wales and then Scotland. She stopped here because Abingdon is England’s oldest continually inhabited town and she like it here, and the people.

She had bought a T towel of a fox from Claire Cross’s stall and was raving about Claire’s pictures.

When I passed by a few minute later Claire said that she still had a couple of fox T towels but no more donkeys – apart from the display copy.

The Local Excellence Market was back on the Market Place today, and a sax player was playing with great gusto – getting a lot of money in his hat in return.

At the centre of the Market was the sight and sound of the wood turning demonstrations throughout the day where people could have a go.
Beyond Bubbles had a new display stand for soaps. The section for patchouli, between lavender and rose & geranium.

As well as scented soap there was coloured glass: blue seas and skies, green hills, red poppies, yellow sun, and the colours of the rainbow altogether.

Then there were stalls with spices including gospice.co.uk and chillies2u , with spices ranging all the way up to ‘bloody hot’.

The Local Excellence Craft Market takes place on Abingdon Market Place in June and early December. It was initaiily organised by the town council, and is now organised by Abingdon-on-Thames Chamber of Commerce as two additional Local Excellence Markets – with mainly craft.

The market included about a dozen stalls. Very popular was the batik stall run by Layla Tutt – another Layla.

The Loose Cannon beer tent had a steady stream of triers and buyers.

Beyond Bubbles soap were there, and stalls with wood turning, candles, pictures and photos, pottery, and glass, jewellery, chocolate craft, chutney, bird feeders, cakes, and of course much more.

Lesley Legge, a Town Councillor, and Kevin Clare, the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce started researching other local Farmers’ Markets in November 1999.

They met with the Monday Market representatives and got in touch with farmers locally involved in Farmers’ Markets. One of the hurdles at the time was the Market Acts which only allowed a Monday Market in Abingdon, and so initially the Farmers’ Market was held on Monday once a month – some of the stalls were under the County Hall, and some by the Abbey Archway.

Audrey Hasnip was the Mayor at the opening in April 2000. The Town Clerk at the time was Brian Tonkin. Jill and Joy, volunteers from EarthWatch, looked after the rents and checked all was well for  the first two years.

Peter Green chaired the meetings about the Market after Lesley Legge became Mayor in May 2000. and with Nigel Warner after Brian retired. Between them they sorted out the Market Acts. Nowadays the Farmers’ Market is on third Friday of each month.

Thanks to Johnny Morrison for the pictures, and Lesley Legge for the details.