While exploring Abingdon’s green spaces, I also discovered where the Abingdon Monk has been retired. The wooden monk once stood on the roundabout near Fairacres and Tesco. After toppling over once, it was propped back up with a splint,

but when it fell again it was found to be too rotten to repair. There was a split running from head to side.

Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council has now given the monk a new purpose as a bug hotel, placed among the naturally decaying tree trunks at Boxhill Wood. The sculpture was originally created for a Britain in Bloom project, commissioned by Abingdon Town Council and sponsored by the Abbey Press. People used to dress it up for festive and other occasions.

There has been talk of a replacement. Other towns have their own wooden monks (including one in Cirencester), but for now there is no Abingdon monk.

During the church twinning visit in June, our friends from Sint-Niklaas brought a special gift – a 19th-century painting of St Helen’s Church, Abingdon.

Today, the painting was formally presented to Abingdon Museum by members of the church twinning committee. The handover took place in the presence of the Mayor of Abingdon, Cllr Rawda Jehanli; Cllr Penny Clover, Chair of the Museum Sub-Committee; and Dan Sancisi, Museum Manager.

The artist, George Vicat Cole (1833–1893), was a landscape painter who often worked along the River Thames, travelling by steam launch in search of views. His painting captures the Thames at Abingdon, with the wharf and the spire of St Helen’s Church in the background – a scene easily recognisable today, though much of the detail has changed.

The Abingdon Artists group has published a new book, Abingdon-on-Thames: Our Town in Pictures, featuring over 150 original artworks by 56 local artists. The book captures the town of Abingdon through a variety of media (including watercolour, oil, acrylic, collage, and graphite) focusing mainly on town and river scenes, with a few views of the surrounding area. It includes historical notes about the town.

Made possible by a legacy from former member Pat Taylor, the book also includes three of her graphite drawings.

Here are two night scenes by artist Jackie Wagner: one of Bridge Street with the Broad Face pub, and  the other featuring the Punchbowl and County Hall.

The book is available for £10 and will be on sale at the group’s Autumn Exhibition, held (this week) from Tuesday 28 October to Saturday 1 November 2025 at Christ Church Barn, Northcourt Road. It is also available from the Book Store and Mostly Books, while stocks last.

Entry to the exhibition is free. Visitors can enjoy more original art works by Abingdon Artists ( whatever has inspired them in the last few months and not just pictures of the town), and buy art and greetings cards.

For more information, visit abingdonartists.org.uk.