MGA at 70: New Exhibition at Abingdon Museum

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This year marks the 70th anniversary of the MGA, built at the MG Car Company’s factory in Abingdon.

To mark the occasion, Abingdon Museum has opened a new exhibition featuring information boards, photographs, model cars, and a Pathé news film, ‘The Sports Car of the Year (1955–1956)’. The exhibition runs until 28 June.

The MGA was launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1955 and marked a significant change from MG’s earlier T-Series cars. The T-Series retained pre-war features — separate wings, running boards, and an upright driving position — while the MGA introduced a low, streamlined body, with the driver sitting closer to the road, aimed at the export market.

Just over 101,000 were built between 1955 and 1962, the majority sold in the United States. For Abingdon, that meant steady employment at the MG works.

The MGA was followed by the MGB, MG’s most commercially successful model. An MGB, along with other MG artefacts, is on permanent display at the museum, as well as the temporary MGA exhibition.

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

Not a Hoax – The Monk is back

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Despite what this blog reported on April 1st, the monk has really appeared on the Marcham Road Roundabout this Easter Day morning – as a big surprise.

The work to lift him in and bolt him down must have happened early this morning.

It has been arranged by the Abingdon Freemasons, who really do have ties with the original monk, although not the hoax ones put on this blog on April 1st. The previous monk also had a Masonic connection as the original monk was sponsored by the Abbey Press which was run by one of their members.

Easter Activities Around the Town Centre

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An “eggspedition” around the town centre gave children the chance to hunt for twelve egg-themed words and win a chocolate Easter egg.

On the Market Place, there was live entertainment, including performances by the Stagecoach singers,

and the Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers. All this formed part of the Easter Eggstravaganza – a family event welcoming the spring, with crafts and local stalls.

Among the stalls was the One Wish Dog Foundation, founded in 2025, a new charity working to rescue and rehome unwanted and abandoned dogs across Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.

Elsewhere around the town centre, shop windows joined in with Easter displays. Happy Easter!

Good Friday in Abingdon

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Members from churches across Abingdon came together this Good Friday for a walk of witness, following a cross from the Library to the Market Place.

There, they gathered to sing hymns — There is a Green Hill, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, and Amazing Grace — and to hear a reading of the Crucifixion of Jesus from Matthew’s Gospel. The Salvation Army band played, and Revd Carol Hamilton-Foyn addressed the crowd.

This Easter Sunday, there is an invitation to celebrate with Christians across Abingdon. Services are taking place at the following churches which are members of the Church in Abingdon:

Abingdon Baptist Church (OX14 5AG)
10.30 am — Easter Sunday All-Age Service, including Communion

Abingdon Community Church (Northcourt Community Centre, OX14 1NS)
10.30 am — All-Age Interactive Service: activities, crafts, short talk, and sung worship

Abingdon Vineyard Church (Preston Road Community Centre, OX14 5NR)
10.30 am — Easter Service

All Saints Methodist Church (OX14 2AQ)
10.30 am — Morning Service and Communion

Christ Church (Northcourt Road / Long Furlong Primary School)
8.00 am — BCP Communion (Northcourt Road, OX14 1PL)
10.00 am — Holy Communion (Long Furlong, OX14 1XP)
10.30 am — Holy Communion (Northcourt Road)
6.30 pm — Evening Service with Baptisms (Northcourt Road)

Our Lady and St Edmund RC Church (OX14 3PL)
Mass: 8.00 am, 9.30 am, and 11.30 am

Peachcroft Christian Centre (OX14 2RT)
10.00 am — Easter Celebration for All

Pearly Gates Church (Fitzharrys School, OX14 1NP)
10.30 am — Resurrection Service, followed by refreshments

Salvation Army (OX14 5BL)
10.30 am — Easter Service

St Helen’s Church (OX14 5BS)
8.00 am — Holy Communion (Book of Common Prayer) with hymns
10.30 am — Festival Eucharist of the Resurrection with junior crafts and an Easter egg hunt

St Michael and All Angels’ Church (OX14 1DB)
9.30 am — Sung Mass of the Resurrection

St Nicolas’ Church (OX14 3NZ)
11.15 am — Holy Communion and Blessing of the Paschal Candle

Trinity Church (OX14 1DB)
10.30 am — Morning Service and Communion