Work has been underway for about 4 weeks now investigating the archaelogical heritage of the field off the Drayton Road which could be developed with 159 houses.

In places the topsoil and subsoil have been removed to make way to excavate some deeper trenches.

The introduction to the archaeological field evaluation says earlier work “found mid to late Iron Age remains that would fit the character of a farmstead …”

Work is concentrating to the northeast and east of the site, up near the Drayton Road on the side nearest Abingdon.

Thanks to Steve for the first two pictures at today’s Heritage WWI Event on the Market Place. The first shows the recruiting Sergeant filling in the papers for another young Abingdon recruit going to serve King and Country.

The second shows Mr Punch and The Kaiser having a ding dong in front of the children.

Mr Punch has lost none of his punch with these kids after 100 years.

Thanks to Peter, also from Abingdon Camera Club, for this picture of the recruitment desk and the two pictures that follow.

Some lads from Abingdon about to join up for King and Country.

who then go through some initial training, getting it wrong and get an earful.

The Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers, and Mr Hemmings Traditional Abingdon Morris Dancers, joined forces in memory of colleagues from 100 years ago.

Councillor Angela Lawrence, The Mayor of Abingdon, opened the Heritage Open Day activities at 10am, and is seen here in East St Helen Street.

Window displays showed the history of buildings, and a record of those who went to serve in WWI. There were 16 Properties opened for Heritage Open Day, and there were many windows on the past.

The Community Shop stayed open for an extra day – showing an exhibition of Abingdon people who served in WWI. All the pictures they collected will become part of the local history collection in the library. They used a 1914 way of counting Saturday’s visitors.

Finally, unless I get sent more pictures, the earlier recruits returned in modern day uniform to show they really could keep step and march in time in front of their visiting Brigadier, and MP Nicola Blackwood.

The only visible reminder of The Union Workhouse in Abingdon is the wall which separated the workhouse grounds from the allotment gardens (now Box Hill Recreation Ground).

The workshouse was demolished in 1932 and replaced by the housing estate made up of Abbot Road, and Thesiger Road – named after Sir Frederick Thesiger a former M.P for Abingdon.

The local parish used to have to look after their own poor, and Union Workhouses were where groups of parishes clubbed together, in Victoria times, looking for a more cost effective way.

Elderly and infirm would we treated leniently: those fit and of working age would NOT be encouraged to stay too long. Life would NOT be made easy: families were separated on entry; women might work in the laundry; men break rocks for roads; and the children could see their parents for a short while at the weekend if everybody behaved.

(Sepia pictures taken during a recent visit to Southwell Workhouse near Newark on Trent.)