It was not raining when we got up at 6am, but there was a light rain when we went to pick up the gazebos, and it was raining hard by the time we put them up.

The Abingdon Music Centre sang some medieval songs in the dry of the museum undercroft.

Henry V gave a rousing speech in the rain

Abindon Bridge Beer was there on tap thanks to the Brewery Tap to celebrate 600 years since Abingdon Bridge, across the Thames, was built, in the reign of Henry V.

There were lots of medieval stalls on the Market Place. The most shocking, for any people born into the 20th and 21st Century, was the Apothecary and the treatment he gave his poor patient without any pain killers or basic hygiene. It drew a large crowd.

Connells the Estate Agent had for sale, for one day only: Royal Armour(complete with sword), Fantasy castle (energy Rating G), and battle ship (in excellent working order with 6 cannons and 80 cannon balls).

At the Old Gaol Knights fought a tournament to win the public’s favour.

There was a face painter who gave Henry V his scar, and a number of adults pustules, but did much nicer designs for children.

At the end of the day there were a series of Bell Ringing demonstrations at St Nicolas Church. Over 500 churches are taking part in a bell ringing for Heritage Open Day nationally. There were 14 building open in Abingdon for Heritage Open Day which were dry.

There was also a very successful Open Day at Culham Fusion Energy Centre despite the rain.

When it was time to take down the gazebos at 4pm the rain had just about stopped, and any water that had gathered was removed from the sagging gazebo roofs.

After that there was sunshine like the weather forecast predicted. More pictures on Abingdon Blog Facebook and a movie with music, jousting, bell ringing, and Henry V’s speech on youtube …

The year is 1416. Geoffrey Barbour invests a considerable sum in building a stone bridge from Abingdon towards London, and local businessmen seeing the benefits joined in funding the project.

At lunchtime in St Nicolas Church, the town archivist, Jackie Smith, gave a fascinating talk on the 600 year history of Abingdon Bridge. How it was breached in the civil war, and badly damaged by severe winters, but then repaired and improved again and again.

The final slide of the talk showed Abingdon’s Freemen driving sheep across Abingdon Bridge in the year 2000. Mr Michael Matthews on the right is the longest serving Freeman, and possibly the last remaining Mayor of the Borough of Abingdon.

The talk was the first event in the 4 day heritage open days. There are medieval happenings in town on Saturday to celebrate the bridge and Abingdon Bridge beer will be on tap.

There will also be 14 heritage properties open including the former County Police Station, now the home of The Abingdon Bridge Charity (TAB) who help and give counselling to young people. They are recognising the 600th anniversary of our town’s other bridge by encouraging  friends and visitors to match the age of the bridge with 600 £1 coins as a special heritage donation to help them with their work.

Another of the properties, Christ’s Hospital Hall, will have an exhibition about 600 years of Abingdon Bridge. See the map for the full list of open properties.

A new exhibition has opened at the Freespace (opposite Samuel’s). It was open today and will run from Monday 5th to Saturday until 10th September, 10:00am-4:00pm. It has pictures of Abingdon in the 1950s, and memorabilia from the 1950s, and brings back memories of younger days to some …

For others it gives a chance to see an Abingdon long before they were born.

The exhibition has been put together by Elizabeth Drury, who also curated the Abingdon in Victorian times exhibition last year, and Abingdon in WWI the year before. The exhibition is part of Abingdon’s Heritage Open Days programme.

Somebody commented that the Old Gaol Gardens are now open, and so I went through the gate at the side and had a walk round.

The gardens will be used for the medieval foot tournament on Heritage Day. The battling knights will have a softer landing there than on the Market Place, and their squires will be able to pitch tents on the grass.