When the queen came to Abingdon two years ago, it was to visit this large office block on the Abingdon Science Park – the site of Sophos who had won a Queens award to industry that year.

After lunch, the Queen went up to the roof garden to the south-facing staff restaurant which overlooks the wild landscaping of Barton Fields, and where they are digging round a small lake.

Sophos is a company that makes anti-virus and anti-spam software. The company was founded in 1985. It is the sort of company Gordon Brown (our would be prime-minister) wants to see leading the way for British industry.

The Conduit recreation park had only been opened for a few years, when this monument to Prince Albert was added in 1864. After that it became known as Albert Park.

Albert was hard working, and is probably best remembered for his work on the Great Exhibition. He died at a youngish age. The Queen mourned his loss for a long time, and so apparently did the nation, at a time when a lot of new civic amenities were being built.

Albert is so high up that he spent the whole millennium summer with a tennis ball wedged between his legs.

This sign is to be found near the Sustrans Cycle path beyond Abingdon Science Park . This, the largest of the lakes, was pumped dry two winters back. The fence was erected, and then instead of water, it was pumped full of fuel ash slurry from Didcot Power Station.

Growing on the slope in the foreground is teasel. Down beneath stretches a black morass, partly covered by reeds and grass: nature reclaiming the level ground. Gulls float on an area of water in the distance.

This was never the most beautiful of the gravel pits. Its sandy coloured bottom hosted few plants. The perimeter path, built up on dug-out mud, was and is the play area of cross-country trials bikes. Their phutting and snarling annoys dog walkers out for a peaceful walk.

But where the Sustrans cycle path nears Radley, there are lakes that have had forty+ years to mature. They are the subject of the campaign to Save Radley Lakes. We thought the plans to fill them with ash had been defeated but now nPower have new plans to just fill one of them (the largest) and posters around the area say the danger still remains, and we should continue fighting to save our neighbourhood.

This plaque on Lombard Street says “This Street widened at the cost of the Corporation 1874. John Kent Mayor.”

Before planning regulations, buildings could be jammed together in a higgledy piggledy way. The result would be some narrow crooked roads.

Abingdon Corporation in the 19th Century started to buy up dwellings or parts of dwellings to straighten out the kinks and narrow stretches of the main thoroughfares. This passageway from Queen Street to the Market Place gives an idea of the challenge they faced.

This building gives Stert Street its distinctive character, but does risk getting knocked by a passing lorry or bus.