The Rt Rev’d Rowan Williams was at St Michael and All Angels, Abingdon-on-Thames, this evening for the big 7.30 pm service to bless the restored three bells.

After a long period of disuse, White’s of Appleton have just finished the work to get them back working.

Three young ringers from St Helen’s were invited to ring them for a short period in front of the congregation …

By the wonders of the internet you can hear them too.

Abingdon Concert Band and Abbey Brass both played in the Nags Head island garden from 16:00 to 19:00. Both are 40 years old this year, and Hornblower, the specially brewed anniversary beer, was drunk at the event.

It was a way to bridge the gap between Fun in the Park and Music in the Park, which also happened on June 3rd.

Music in the Park began at 17:00. But as armbands sold out earlier in the week, anybody without an armband could stay for another Hornblower.

Two more concerts in a pub garden follow on the 10th and (probably) the 17th of June.

At the Long Gallery of the Abbey Buildings there has been a Jazz Festival for the last two days.

Events were well attended, and the event brought lots of visitors into Abingdon, and into the Abbey Buildings. The new Mayor, Jan Morter, and her husband, were very much at home watching the Oxfordshire Youth Big Band. Both work with young people musically.

The more mature Funk Bake – pictured here, had a strong driving beat.

As with most jazz. the band would start playing the same riff together, and then each of the players would take it off in their own direction – improvising. The music is never the same twice. Unlike Gregorian Chants …

The monks on their way back from the Abbey Church might have taken some time to appreciate the sound of jazz. The 2017 audience, who came from far and wide, loved it.