The Abingdon Abbey Buildings have re-opened for the summer months – from 1st May to 30th September. The opening hours are Wednesday to Sunday 2PM – 4:30PM. Entry £1.

On the left is the Checker and the Long Gallery (just out of view). On the right is the Unicorn Theatre.

Abingdon Abbey would have been a much large complex of buildings, and this is all that remains. The buildings have been taken over and cared for by The Friends of Abingdon – Abingdon’s Civic Society – since 1944.

Civic Societies generally exist to celebrate the heritage, and safeguard the best buildings of a town. In recent years The Friends have become more active, as they were in their founding years – 70 years ago. I have particularly noticed them responding and petitioning on planning applications in Abingdon, and organising walks and other events celebrating Abingdon’s Heritage. Their biggest treasure and worry has always been the Abbey Buildings, where they continue to renew the fabric. Last year they did some work on the roof. They have also added two interesting information timelines, one about the Abbey, and one about the town.

The next lot of walks are on the Bank Holiday – Monday 26th May 2014. Book from 10am on the Market Place.

The three storey Clock House was until recently used by Lloyds Private Banking Ltd. Notices say that they have moved into offices at the back, and so the building is available to Rent.

Clock House is a A Grade II* listed building with a striking entrance hall and staircase, and was built by The Tomkins family during the eighteenth century. More details can be found about Clock House on the Abingdon Portal.

I have this old Valentine Post Card showing a cannon in Albert Park facing Trinity Church – a line of site that is nowadays obscured by bushes and trees. I think somebody said the cannon got melted down during WWII along with a lot of railings round the church.

Looking across the Abingdon School playing field, a magnolia partly hides the church and Trinity House, next door, which now has a new two storey extension and is being sympathetically refurbished.

According to D.B.Tranter’s History of Trinity, John Creemer Clarke ( a founding member of Trinity, clothing manufacturer, and MP) bought Trinity House on a nine-hundred year lease in 1873 for use as a church manse, and when he died it was given in trust to the Church and served as manse until the 1970s.

From that time it has been a private home, unlike a lot of the large houses round Albert Park which are too big for modern families.

The work at 1-3 Ock Street is nearing completion. The building was once the Probation Office in Abingdon.

Kemp & Kemp have taken it on and have been restoring the building, sympathetically, to be their new offices.

They are to bury a time capsule under the floor to the building capturing ‘life in Abingdon today’ as well as telling the story of the building. Suggestions very welcome.