Inspired Setting for Abingdon Drama Club’s 1984

Leave a reply


Faces look out from the window of Abingdon Drama Club on Marcham Road.

They make you stop and wonder what plays they belong to. Soon, Big Brother could be joining them with his all-seeing eye.

Abingdon Drama Club will perform George Orwell’s 1984 at All Saints Church, Sutton Courtenay, from 28–31 October. The production will transform the church into the world of Big Brother.

Written just after the end of WWII in 1948, Orwell’s warning about the manipulation of truth still feels relevant: “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.”

With the Unicorn Theatre being revamped, Abingdon Drama Club has moved to an unusual but very fitting setting for 1984. Nearby in the churchyard lies Eric Blair, better known by his pen name George Orwell.

His gravestone is simple and partly hidden by rose bushes. On top are coins and small tokens left by visitors from different countries. Other mementoes have been placed in a box behind the gravestone to keep it looking tidy.

Behind Blair’s grave is the slate-grey gravestone of David Astor. Following Blair’s wishes, Astor arranged for him to be buried in an English parish churchyard rather than anywhere grand.

Monk Gets Costume

1 Reply


The new Abingdon Monk has received his first costume. The monk was installed by Abingdon Freemasons and up to now has stayed as the sculptor made him. The previous monk (now well rotted at Boxhill Wood) was sometimes dressed up for fun and the new monk has joined that tradition. The costume looks like Red Riding Hood but I could be wrong.

Travellers in Albert Park

11 Replies


Back in Abingdon after a few days away, I was surprised to see five horses and a dozen or so caravans in Albert Park.

I walked around taking photographs of the horses. Two small dogs ran up barking, then ran off again. The lower gate appeared to have been forced open, and vans were coming and going. One driver waited for me to take a picture of the forced gate before driving through.

The grass was short and dry, and would not provide much food for the horses.

A PCSO was watching from a distance, and Christ’s Hospital, which manages the park, are aware of the situation and will deal with any problems in whatever way the law allows. The travellers could be moved on sooner rather than later if circumstances give them legal grounds to do so.

Two lads approached me while I was there and said they had no objection to travellers living this way provided they respected others and were peaceable. I asked if they were part of the group and they said ‘no’. Other locals in the park were less pleased, particularly as it is a school holiday and vehicles are driving over the paths and grass, and there could be contamination of the play area.

A Few Doors

1 Reply


Walking around Abingdon, it is easy to pass the town’s front doors without paying them any mind. But some doors are on a show, like this one at Lock House. On most front doors the wood is painted over but here you can still see the wood.

Here is a much older door where the wood is visible. It has a stone surround and archway.

This doorway has a fanlight, columns and simple decoration typical of the Georgian period.

Some Georgian houses went further. This doorway, with its surround, columns and triangular pediment looks very grand.

Another triangular pediment. Brick this time. By the Victorian period, brick became an important part of doorway decoration.

The doorway has brickwork and a white decorative surround.

This door has less decoration, but the colour and simple appearance are attractive.

I have probably walked past all these doors many times without really noticing them. But today I decided to photograph doors after hearing that the Abingdon Artists went out drawing and painting pictures of doors at their last ‘Quick on the Draw’ session.