The Old Bridge over the Stert


John sent in this fascinating photo of the old bridge over the River Stert — a hidden route that links Clifton Drive to Boxhill Park through a gap in the hedge. He tells me he used the bridge many times but has no idea of its history. Perhaps someone reading this does?

One particularly curious detail: the large tree you can see in the picture isn’t just next to the bridge — it’s actually growing out of it. John describes it as quite extraordinary. And I agree.

There’s been some tree work nearby recently, with a number of trees felled along the riverbank, but the bridge itself appears neglected. John wonders why there’s no visible effort to preserve it. It’s not just a practical footpath, but a part of Abingdon’s history being slowly reclaimed by nature.

I know the Town Council manages Boxhill Wood, but I’m not sure who’s responsible for the bridge or this stretch of the Stert. If anyone has more information — perhaps about the bridge’s age, who maintains it, or what its original purpose might have been — John and I would love to hear from you.

The Easter Garden at St Helen’s Church


The Easter Garden, in the West Porch of St Helen’s Church, first happened during the pandemic. With church services suspended and indoor gatherings restricted, the garden provided a symbol of hope for passers-by.

Now an annual tradition, it will be on display throughout this Holy Week, from 11am to 3pm. With Easter falling late in 2025, finding spring flowers was a challenge.

The garden features three simple wooden crosses representing the scene of Calvary, with a stone symbolising the tomb. On Easter Sunday, the stone will be removed, and a small tealight will be placed inside the tomb to signify the resurrection.

The display is filled with moss, greenery, and a variety of flowers. Pansies in shades of purple and yellow, pale blue forget-me-nots, along with small white blossoms, came from the garden of Sue, the creator. Despite the Monday Market shifting to summer bedding plants, Sue found pots of Calibrachoa; their tiny purple and white flowers trail at the front. She also found pots of late daffodils, and hopes they’ll last until Easter Sunday.

Beneath Our Feet: Abingdon’s Deep History


An exhibition at Abingdon County Hall Museum, The Geologist’s Guide to Abingdon, uncovers the hidden history beneath our feet. A series of display boards explains how the land was shaped over millions of years — through ancient seas and shifting rivers.

Abingdon and the River Ock are above Kimmeridge Clay, a type of rock formed in a warm, shallow sea around 150 million years ago during the Jurassic Period. Later, the landscape was shaped by rivers. Much of the gravel beneath Abingdon comes from ancient river terraces. During the Ice Ages, the River Thames and its tributaries cut through the land, carrying away rock and soil and leaving behind layers of gravel and sand where the rivers once flowed.

The exhibition also remembers people who helped us understand this geological story — including Mary Morland, from Abingdon. She was a talented illustrator and geologist. Her drawings helped to spread the knowledge of fossil discoveries.

(Abingdon Museum is run by Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council.)

Infrastructure Updates: Repairs, New Bridge, and Smarter Carpark

Here is an update on three infrastructure projects that this blog has reported on recently:

The hole in the retaining wall and the bridge uprights at the site of the former Upper Reaches Hotel are being repaired.

The new footbridge at the Kings Gate estate is now in use, although one sign still reads ‘Footpath Ahead Closed.’

The Cattle Market car park, once the poor relation of Abingdon’s car parks, now has brickwork parking bays in place of tarmac.