The County Hall Museum is well lit tonight.
The spot lights, installed in 2011 during a refurbishment, were failing. Spare parts were a problem. The sealed units — like submarine portholes — kept out the rain but also kept out easy maintenance.
Now it looks like Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council have arranged for new spot lights around the County Hall. The building looks dazzling. The pavements are also dazzling if you look down.
Abingdon County Hall was taped off this afternoon as a worker abseiled about the outside.
A van, parked nearby, was the property of Chiltern Lifts Company. And so this could have been part of a survey to see about installing a lift, something the town council have started to investigate. Town council officers met recently with Historic England Planning and architects to consider three options for the lift. (But that is a complete guess. Somebody out there may know better. Perhaps it was the Mayor’s Charity Abseil.)
UPDATE: Actually, my guess was wrong. The lift engineers were looking at the current lift and will be back once they have consulted with the manufacturers. It could be out of action for a while. The abseil was English Heritage workers repairing the balustrade and cupola. They also cleaned the windows.
The County Hall in Abingdon looks magnificent from whatever angle you view it.
The hall was built between 1678 and 1683 and amazes people travelling through Abingdon.
Recent architecture looks insubstantial alongside.
The Abingdon Market Place viewed through its arches has seen many changes.
Like Stonehenge the County Hall has stood the test of time.
The 2018 Abingdon County Hall Musuem Guide is now available, and makes a very colourful and handy guide to the coming year.
The first new exhibition of 2018 opened yesterday, Saturday 13th January, and runs until 18th March, and is called Myth, Mystery and Music.
Local artist Caroline Ritson goes in search of sightings of the Green Man in hedges, flowers and foliage, and when she has found an eye or face, she paints it in great detail. It is fun to try to find the Green Man in her pictures. Caroline also has pictures of Morris Dancing and Music Festivals.
Alongside these are paintings by another local artist, Barbara Payne. Some of her paintings portray the mysteries to be seen near The Oldest Road (The Ridgeway), including the White Horse, Wayland Smithy, and Blowing Stone. She also has paintings of musicians, and produces ceramics, prints, and books of poetry.
The Magical MG, seen here, is always there in the museum gallery.