Back in the middle ages the impending end of the world was a hot topic. Some believed it would occur during the 13th century. The date was first put at 1260, and then revised when that date came and went.

This illustrated manuscript in the British Library, in London, dates from that time of excitement in the 13th Century. I am not sure where the manuscript was created but it is called The Abingdon Apocalypse because of a note on the fly leaf first in French then translated into English which is supposed to say “This book is loaned to Dame Joan, by the grace of God Queen of Scotland by the abbot and convent of Abingdon… .’

The complete manuscript is at the British Museum in London. To see some apocalyptic illustrations follow this link and look around … The Abingdon Apocalypse .

After work today I went sightseeing in Millwall.

Millwall is best known to me at least for the Football Club, Millwall F.C. who now play in Bermondsey and have not played in Millwall for some time.

But if you look on the bus map of Millwall above, you will see the purpose of my visit – to view St Edmund’s School and Church, and a statue – in honour of St Edmund Rich of Abingdon.

My first view of the church was a little disconcerting. The notice on the property alongside says “DANGER – ANTI CLIMBING DEVICE – Treated with Anthrax.” Then I read the small print … “and a dose of British sense of humour.”

I am not sure how a church in Millwall, Isle of Dogs, London has managed to get such a superb memorial to St Edmund of Abingdon.

A church called St Edmund’s was opened in Millwall in August 1875, replacing a church called St Edward’s.

The current building looks a far more recent addition. So having done my sight seeing and not been able to explain the association with St Edmund of Abingdon I returned to Mudchute Station on the The Docklands Light Railway to return from whence I came. By the way – the Mudchute in question was a huge pile created when Millwall Dock was dug out in 1860.

Just off Bath Street, up Fitzharry’s Road, can be found a large green space in the centre of a 1950s estate. The estate was developed as housing for workers at the atomic energy research establishment in nearby Harwell.

The green space with the plaque is what reamins of Fitzharry’s House – a large historic house demolished in the 1950s. It had a long history and The Friends of Abingdon tried to save it – but in vain.

Nearby, close to the River Stert, is a similarly framed plaque. It describes the mound beyond –  which is the remaining half of what was once a Motte and Bailey. This fortification was constructed in  the years after the Norman Conquest when the new overlords could not always sleep soundly in their beds after fining and taxing locals above the odds

The top of the Motte is ten to twelve strides across, and about ten strides deep. It is still surrounded by a ditch which was once the moat. The Bailey that stood on the Motte would not have withstood an attack by a visting army but would presumably have kept a marauding mob of locals at bay on a Friday night.

The Ftitzharry name comes from a 13th knight, Hugh FitzHarry, who sold this estate to Abingdon Abbey before going off to the crusades. He probably got bored of  fining locals whose pigs had strayed onto his estate, and got fired up by something really really worth fighting about – the Holy Land.  Nothing much has changed.

According to The Virtual London website … “Opposite ‘The Houses of Parliament’ …  is a green and grassy area where news crews conduct interviews with politicians. This is known variously as ‘Abingdon Green’, ‘College Green’ and ‘St Stephen’s Green’. The official line though, from the Head of Public Information at the Palace of Westminster, is that it’s just called ‘The Green’

The name for Abingdon Green may be officially ‘The Green’, but the street alongside is Abingdon Street.

The Earl of Abingdon once owned a residence on this site around 1700. He was well thought of and so the name Abingdon was used when the road was widened – and his old house demolished –  in 1750.