Category Archives: street furniture

Knitted Monk

Monk post box top
Janet has sent a picture of the knitted post-box top on top of the post-box outside Tesco.

The monk on the Tesco traffic island fell over at the start of November and is still down.

She wonders whether a local company could sponsor the roundabout as happens in other towns.

New Bells outside St Nicolas Church in Abingdon


Two bells have appeared on the pavement outside St Nicolas Church. They are cemented in to the pavement and are not designed to ring.

They are there for pedestrian safety. ‘Bell Bollards‘ are shaped to ensure that vehicles, however big, mounting the pavement will be deflected back onto the road. They will also ensure delivery lorries do not stop on this part of the pavement.

New and Replacement Bike Racks

New and Repaired Bike Racks
Over the last couple of months new cycle racks have been put in Abingdon town centre. One set are at one end of Broad Street by the new flower containers
New and Repaired Bike Racks
The other matching set is opposite the Black Swan beneath the Great Western Railway train times.
New and Repaired Bike Racks
The bike racks on High Street were also recently replaced . These used to be the most well used bike racks in Abingdon but cyclists have not got back to using them again yet.

The previous racks were all ploughed down by a vehicle.

High Street Signs in Abingdon

According to Wikipedia High Street is the most common street name in the UK. It beats Station Road and Main Street by a long way.
High Street
Abingdon has a High Street. Looking today I saw three High Street signs. The first, near the Market Place, was from the days when Abingdon was a borough – before the local government reorganisation in 1974.
High Street
That end of the High Street is mostly banks and estate agencies.
High Street
The next sign, at the junction of West St Helen Street, has T over a dot. Did this look good in the days when shorthand was in vogue?
High Street
At the other end the High Street sign is black with smudgy white lettering.

The Vale of White Horse District Council has been in existence, making Abingdon’s street signs, since 1974. They have stamped their logo on signs for many other roads around Abingdon but have left the old signs on the historic High Street.
High Street
At the other end of the High Street are mostly pubs. The Grapes has a sign offering the government scheme of Eat Out to Help Out. Over the road The Narrows has a door with the sign Exit Only. It is part of their one way system to stop the spread of the virus.