The Friends of the Abbey Buildings Trust have put the former curator’s house on the market. The house located at Checker Walk (incorporating 18 Thames Street) is grade II listed and is thought to be of 16th-century origins and much restored. The front downstairs room was also used as a changing room for the Unicorn Theatre and the office of the Friends of Abingdon but is not generally open to the public.

The sale of the house is an opportunity for someone to own an Abingdon landmark. For sale details see https://www.thomasmerrifield.co.uk/properties/12119143-checker-walk-incorporating-18-thames-street-abingdon-on-thames/.

This could be to release funds towards the enhancement project to make the next-door Grade I listed Abbey Buildings fully accessible, weather-tight and with adequate modern services to allow for all-year use.  The Abbey Buildings project was granted round one development funding of £256,000 by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, allowing it to progress with its enhancement plans towards National Lottery Heritage Fund second round funding, where a final decision is made on the full funding award of £2,500,000.

The Abbey Buildings were acquired by the Friends of Abingdon in the 1940s.

The Abingdon Heritage Open Day stall had a floral H created by the Abingdon Flower Club. People were drawn to it like bees, eager to sign up for the walks and hikes in the morning.

The weather worsened in the afternoon, and the afternoon walks started with heavy rain.

That couldn’t put off the Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers, who performed with their hankies under the County Hall Museum, where the flower club had put sunflowers.

Abingdon’s Heritage Open Weekend is a free event, organised by volunteers to celebrate the town’s rich heritage.

The Abingdon Missal exhibition in the Abbey Buildings is a unique opportunity to see high-quality reproductions of some of the most exquisite artwork from the Abingdon Missal, a 15th-century manuscript from Abingdon Abbey held by the Bodleian Library.

Modern-day Abingdon creative people gave talks at the Guildhall, including science fiction writer Ben Jeapes, who spoke about how he plotted his book H.M.S. Barabbas.

Members of Abingdon Artists held an exhibition of pictures of Abingdon in St Ethelwold’s Garden Room. Some of the pictures were created during the group’s Friday quick draw sessions, where they find a location in the centre of Abingdon and all draw quickly.

Meanwhile, sketchbooks open and paint brushes in hand, artists captured the beauty of the garden.

Visitors were struck by the number of windows in East St Helen Street displaying the work of Abingdon’s creative people. The displays ranged from historic to contemporary, and offered a glimpse into the rich and diverse artistic heritage of the town.

Oswald Couldrey was a talented artist and writer who lived in Abingdon in the early 1900s. At the Abingdon County Hall Museum, visitors can view a display of Couldrey’s artwork in the museum attic. In the Guildhall, there is an exhibition of research from Lauren Gale’s upcoming book about Couldrey. Finally, the house where Couldrey lived, has a display of his artwork.
At St Helen’s Church, a guide led visitors around the building, explaining its history and significance. Here, the guide is talking about the monument to John Roysse, who refounded Abingdon School in 1563.

There was also a talk about the history of the St Helen’s organ with examples of music.

Lots more was happening, and there are walks tomorrow (Sunday) and some exhibitions continue. Check the website https://abingdonheritage.org.uk/ for details.

It has been another excellent Abingdon Heritage Open Saturday, thanks to Hester and her team.