Although it is difficult to see what is going on inside, there are already plenty of signs of activity outside the Abbey Buildings with skips filling with rubble.

It is still early on in the project – partly funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The project is likely to continue until Autumn 2027 but it now looks like a building project.

Ditches have been dug along the ground, both beside the Long Gallery and leading towards the Unicorn Theatre.

A couple of weeks ago Gaby sent me this photo with the message: ‘Abbey Buildings slype now closed.’

A slype is a narrow, covered passage, particularly one found in a cathedral or medieval monastery. This one links Checker Walk and Thames Street.

Hoardings now surround parts of the Abbey Buildings as restoration work gets underway.

On 22 July, contractor Savvy Group announced the start of conservation and sustainability work on the Grade I listed Abbey Buildings, saying: ‘Opportunities to work on a site of such historical significance are rare, and it is a genuine privilege to play a role in preserving an important part of England’s heritage.’

Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project will conserve the historic buildings, improve accessibility and help secure their future as a community asset.

The Abbey Buildings Trust has appointed a Visual Arts Lead to work with local communities, schools and volunteers to create artwork inspired by the Abbey Buildings, including a large public artwork to be displayed on the site hoardings during the restoration.

It looks as though the archway linking Checker Walk and Thames Street will soon close as work begins on the major restoration and improvement of Abingdon’s historic Abbey Buildings.

There is no sign of heavy machinery on site yet, but glaziers have been at work, and three more of the Abbey windows have now been leaded with glass and their protective canvas removed.

The project is part of a major programme of improvements supported by funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The aim is to conserve and restore the historic Abbey Buildings while making them more accessible and usable and better suited for year-round use.

It was a surprise to find the Abbey Buildings open on Saturday.

In the Long Gallery there was a black-and-white photography exhibition accompanied by a slideshow and atmospheric music. In the Undercroft, visitors could experience a Gong Bath, where people relaxed on mats while listening to gongs and other percussion.

In the Lower Hall there was a ballet and movement workshop. Outside in the garden, a carver was at work and explained that he both practises and teaches carving for therapeutic purposes. Also in the garden were quilts and colouring books.

The open day came as a surprise because I had thought work on the Abbey Buildings refurbishment was due to begin.

The photography exhibition, The Seekers, was a free exhibition by Samantha J Ratcliff, produced as part of her MA in Photography. The project explored the stories of eight people who had found ways to reorient their lives through approaches such as alternative therapies or a closer connection with nature in response to stress. It took place in the Abbey Buildings because it was seen as a place of sanctuary.