The wooden monk that once stood on the Marcham Road roundabout has fallen again. Carved from a single tree trunk, he was a reminder of Abingdon’s Abbey, greeting drivers as they arrived from the A34.

But time and weather have taken their toll. The base has rotted from within, splitting apart and throwing the monk to the ground. Another crack runs through his head – as if suffering double vision.

Over the years, the monk had become a local character. Occasionally dressed up in costumes, he brought smiles and scandal to this prominent Marcham Road Roundabout.

Originally installed by Abingdon Town Council during a Britain in Bloom campaign and sponsored by Abbey Press, the figure was cared for — until Abbey Press closed and no new sponsor came forward. He first fell a couple of years ago and after a few months was propped back up. But now the rot has spread too far.

I was recently in Cirencester and saw their own monk and abbot, standing in their Abbey Grounds. Unlike our monk, they stand on a stone base, protected from the soil. They were created by an artist as part of the Abbey 900 Legacy Project and dedicated in September 2021.

Our Marcham Road monk may have fallen, but the idea behind him still stands: a reminder of Abingdon’s heritage. Perhaps it’s time to ask — what should decorate the roundabout now? It’s the first roundabout many visitors see on the way into town. Although many visitors don’t get further than that roundabout – with its out-of-town hotels, trading estate, business park, petrol stations and supermarkets.