Author Archives: Backstreeter

The week ahead in Abingdon

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The week ahead in Abingdon brings fireworks, remembrance, concerts, and a local football derby.

Thursday 6th November
Chris Fox brings his mix of folk guitar and live looping to the Unicorn Theatre, joined by Wednesday’s Wolves. The Unicorn always makes a good setting for folk concerts.

Friday 7th November
There’s history in the Roysse Room, where Gareth Howell gives the final talk in his WWII series – 1945: The End of the Third Reich. Please book your tickets at the Museum Reception
or online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/abingdon-museum (+0.84 booking fee applied)

Under the floodlights at The Northcourt, Abingdon United take on Milton United in a local derby. It’s part of the Combined Counties League Premier Division North, a league made up of clubs from Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and west London and west Surrey.

Saturday 8th November
The St Michael’s Christmas Fair runs from 10am to 2:30pm with crafts, books, cakes, a raffle, live music, children’s stalls, and those famous bacon butties. Proceeds support church funds and Emmaus Oxford.

As darkness falls, there’ll be fireworks behind Long Furlong Community Centre. Gates open at 6pm, and fireworks start somewhere between 7:30 and 7:45. It’s a family-friendly evening organised by the 2nd Abingdon Scouts, complete with a BBQ and hot drinks.

Other displays will be happening around the town: some at schools, one at the Nags Head, and a big event at Dalton Barracks next week.

Abingdon & District Musical Society perform Mozart’s Requiem and Rachmaninov’s Symphony No. 1 at St Helen’s Church on Saturday evening.

Sunday 9th November

On Remembrance Sunday, there will be the traditional parade from the Guildhall to St Helen’s Church for the 10am service, and then the parade on to the War Memorial for the act of remembrance from 10:50am.

A smaller gathering will also mark Armistice Day on Tuesday 11th November at 11am beside the War Memorial.

On Sunday afternoon, the Pavlova Wind Quintet join Glynne Butt on piano at St Michael’s for Mozart and Glinka.

A Welcome Return to Stert Street

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Added Ingredients is moving back into its old home – bringing with it a wide range of wines and food.

Ove the past couple of years, the premises has been home to two different beer sellers, each running their own bar. The most recent, time-shared the space with Martin, who displayed and sold his photographs of Abingdon and other subjects.

Now Jill and Added Ingredients are back in the shop, selling wines and food once again – at least until the new year, possibly longer.

All Saints’ Day and Saint Edmund of Abingdon

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All Saints’ Day was marked in churches today. At Our Lady & St Edmund of Abingdon Church, the celebration – normally on 1 November – was transferred to Sunday 2 November this year, with All Souls’ Day to be celebrated on Monday 3 November. All Saints’ honours the saints of every age, known and unknown.

Abingdon has a particular connection to Saint Edmund who was born here around 1175. His childhood home stood near West St Helen Street. His mother, Mabel, was remembered for her faith and her care for the poor. Her influence shaped Edmund’s life. He studied and later taught at Oxford, and in 1234 became Archbishop of Canterbury. He was respected for his learning, integrity, and efforts to bring peace.

His name lives on in Our Lady & St Edmund Church in Abingdon, St Edmund’s Catholic Primary School in Abingdon, and St Edmund Hall, the Oxford college.

In the church notice at Our Lady & St Edmund of Abingdon church, they recognised that Abingdon may have more than one or two saints: Today we honour in a special way the “little” saints – those who will never be officially canonised. Think for a moment of people you have known. What was it about them that impressed you? To be a saint is to be Christ-like …

Abingdon Traditional Craft Fair – 2025

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The Abingdon Traditional Craft Fair returned to the Abbey Buildings this weekend. It is one of Abingdon’s autumn traditions.

The fair brings together makers, not resellers. There was a strong showing from the Oxfordshire Craft Guild and about a dozen local makers, including The Abingdon Honey Co.

and The Abingdon Distillery.

Some crafts people come from further away, such as Tony Morgan of Morgan Leather from Lancashire. He was in the under croft.

The real star, though, is the venue. The Craft Fair began over fifty years ago to raise funds for the Abbey Buildings and still helps support them.

Major refurbishment work is due to start soon, helped by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, other grants, and local donations. Because of this, next year’s fair will have to move elsewhere. Plans for the work were on display at the Abbey Buildings Trust stall.

The Town Crier was out announcing the fair. Behind him, one window showed a glimpse of the future.

Traditionally, the window openings have been covered with opaque canvas and not glass. One has now been replaced with new leaded glass, made to fit the uneven opening. Each opening is different. Though not double-glazed, the windows will make the building warmer and more weather-proof, part of the work to make the building more accessible and usable.

It is hoped that the work will be fully funded and approved by heritage experts and completed in time for the craft fair in 2027.