West End allotments are other side of the A34 Marcham Interchange.The surrounding land looks as if it was once held army huts or something similar.

There is the evidence of tracks leading to buildings that exist no longer, as here where this yellow flowers hug the ground.

The surrounding land is overgrown with: grass, teasle, crab apple trees, and brambles… And at the end of the main track are the allotments.

A report on the Farm and Garden magazine site about allotments regeneration says:The West End Allotment Association have carried out plot clearance, and have been busily promoting the fact on local radio and the local press, especially after receiving the winning plot award in ‘Abingdon in Bloom’ recently.

This publicity has generated interest, from younger people and families, and the association gained 10 new members. They do offer rent free plots for 12 months to new members. The allotments have 96 plots.

There are three Allotments in Abingdon. The largest is Wildmoor allotment with 120 plots. This is the one most people have seen as it is visible from the A34, on the Shippon not the Abingdon side.

It can be seen from a footbridge over the A34 that starts from the area of Copenhagen Drive. But that way only goes to Shippon. Users enter from Long Tow where there is a padlocked gate.

Round the sides the allotments are surrounded by fields growing barley, and a deep dug wire mesh fence to keep out the rabbits.

Allotments gained great importance during the two world wars because of the shortage of food. They are gaining popularity again now.

The old ambulance station, is located next to The Fitzharrys Arms off the Wootton Road. It is just to the left of the yellow canopy. It is another part of the town that will disappear in the near future. There is a For Sale for development sign outside.

The Chief Ambulance Officer has long since gone. The building stopped being used for ambulances two or three years ago, when Didcot bacame the ambulance base for the area. The last few operational staff then moved to Didcot.

When in operation, ambulances lay over at strategic locations
in order to cover the area, and unlike fire engines do not stay at the station.

This one is opposite from MacDonalds down Colwell Drive.

The exhibition “Exercise your Eyes” is on until Thursday this week, and features the work of students on the Abingdon College art and design foundation course, most of whom will be leaving Abingdon next year to go to places like Bath, Kingstone, Goldsmiths, Falmouth, Wimbledon…

Anyway it was a very exciting exhibition, and there was far more than can be included in a blog. But here are some of the works.