Author Archives: Backstreeter

More Advent Windows – with a health warning to Buy Less plastic this Christmas

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Fitzharris
In addition to the estates mentioned two days ago, my wife told me that the Fitzharris Manor estate also has an advent window trail.

This estate was taken over by a government ministry during WWII. After the war, houses were built on the estate for the scientists working at the nearby Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE) at Harwell. The old manor house still stood at the centre.
Fitzharris
Now there is a large green space and a plaque where the house used to be. An article in the Sphere magazine in 1952 suggests that a figure in the region of £20,000 would have been needed to repair it. Local campaigners from the Friends of Abingdon contested this figure. Abingdon Town Council told the Sphere that even if the building were given to the town it would be doubtful the town could afford to repair it.
Fitzharris Names of nearby villages were adopted for the road names on the estate: Letcombe, Sutton, Aston, Stanford, Kingston.
Fitzharris
The advent windows mostly keep to traditional Christmas themes.
Fitzharris
But I did see one Scientist warning us to ‘Buy Less Plastic this Christmas’.

DIY Christingle packs and a peep inside St Helen’s Church

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Christingle
Anyone walking by St Helen’s Church today would have seen sheep and angels stuck to the windows.
Christingle
They led to the crib where DIY Christingle packs were being handed out. Normally the Christingles are made by volunteers on Christmas Eve before the popular Christingle Service. This year you make your own Christingle at home and join the service using Zoom.
Christingle
There will be three services in St Helen’s in front of the main alter on Sunday 20th. Up to now only the side aisle has been used, when the church was allowed to open at all.
Christingle
The scaffolding has been cleared from most of the church (ceiling plaster had fallen and this work was needed).
Christingle
When I got home I made a Christingle using the DIY kit. The leaflet that came with it, explains:
Dried fruits / sweets = the fruits of the earth
Candle = Christ, the light of the world
The Orange = The World
Red ribbon = Christ’s blood shed for the world
4 cocktail sticks = the seasons
foil – protects fingers and reminds us we can all reflect the light.

Que Pasa en Abingdon?

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Advent Windows
At 8pm there were a lot of people out in West St Helen Street singing along to the live Silent Night Carol on their doorsteps.

Afterwards our neighbour mentioned an Advent Windows trail raising money for Helen and Douglas House at the old workhouse estate (Abbot Road, Thesiger Road and a bit of Oxford Road).
Advent Windows
I cycled down there and was amazed how many houses had taken part and how good the windows were.
Advent Windows
The pandemic and a WhatsApp group has brought the workhouse estate together.
Advent Windows
If all communities were like this there would be Peace on Earth.
Advent Windows
I then cycled to South Avenue and looked at their advent windows. They have been doing Advent windows for a few years. Their trail also raises money for Helen and Douglas House.
Advent Windows
One window said ‘HO HO HO’.
Advent Windows
Another said ‘HOPE’.
Advent Windows
Cycling back through Abingdon town centre I saw another new window lit up. The Que Pasa Tapas bar & Mediterranean Restaurant has opened. Que Pasa in Spanish means What’s happening in English.

Barton Fields in December

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Barton Fields December
The Thames Path below Barton Fields is very muddy on this sunny December day.
Barton Fields December
More birds are visible in the trees – now without foliage. They flit away as you approach and look shy.
Barton Fields December
Looking up from the bottom of the field, across through the willow herb and bare trees, the office buildings along Barton Lane are visible.
Barton Fields December
The newly surfaced Sustrans cycle path allows cyclists a smoother ride.
Barton Fields December
Similar surfaces have been introduced this year between Drayton and Abingdon.

Through Abingdon Town Centre cyclists are guided by a couple of signs back towards the cycle route, but nobody has solved how to get the cycle way through a town centre as a joined up cycle way
Barton Fields December
In December there are very few flowers. Berries are getting eaten or are drying out.
Barton Fields December
At the top end of Barton Fields – where wild flowers are such an feature in Spring and Summer, the grass is cut, the small trees are bare, and piles of hay provide a place for animals to remain warm during the winter.
Barton Fields December
Brown has taken over from green as the main colour.

Thankyou to the Abingdon Naturalist Trust for the chance to enjoy the fields for a monthly exploration in 2020. Barton Fields provided a green space for people to walk and cycle during the lockdown. But at the same time more people have been walking over what is intended as a wildlife habitat. Mini thicket fence barriers have appeared at some junctions to keep people on the main paths.