On the Market Place there were two Abingdon Fire Engines today.

Fire fighters do a lot of training for all the the emergencies they can be called to.

In turn they try to train the public to reduce the risk of fires, which is partly why they were on the Market Place, that and raising money for charity, and showing off the red fire engines.

Just a quick look round the Farmers’ Market. It is well advertised in the town centre on the third Friday of the month. The signs are everywhere.

Blackberries ( the non electronic type) and raspberries are in season…

as are plums from the Q gardens Stall. Q Gardens is about 4 miles away on the far side of Steventon.

The Abingdon Country Market, featured recently in The Abingdon Herald, has a stall.

Lastly beer from the Appleford Brewery – 6 miles away. They have been brewing for about three years as I understand it. The box on the left has two bottles of ‘Power Station’ with a picture of Didcot Power Station, and one of ‘Brightwell Gold.’

At the Nags Head the pub’s island garden has an interesting array of condiments and sauces. Looks like an artist has been at work.

One thing about buying a house or shop or restaurant in the centre of Abingdon is that you are likely one day or another to start getting interested in its history. At the Camino Restaurant + B&B for example…

In the attic there were “some receipts that are from around 1877… They mention shops from the town such as Cleavers Haberdashery, Parsons Tea Dealer, Lyfords Butchers, Abingdon Gas-Light and Coke Company and more. They are all made to a Mr James Faulkner, who it appears was a butcher and potato dealer.”

Mr Faulkner seemed to have like his stout.

This premises has been, in recent times, “a TV aerial shop, a butchers, Lamberts Restaurant, Il Camino Restaurant, Don Giovanni and now Camino Restaurant, The first floor was converted from a dining/function room to 4 B&B rooms in 2007.” The butcher’s rail was left behind and can still be seen above.

But going further back there is also well. It was “discovered under a heavy slap when they began changing it to a restaurant the first time.”

Thanks for these details from Ryan at the Camino Restaurant. On the days running up to Abingdon Heritage Open Day on 12th September I would be interested to receive any other such historical discoveries to use here.