Bridge Repairs Along the River Ock

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During the Boundary Walk on New Year’s Day we followed the River Ock and saw outdoor staff from the town council mending the bridge halfway between the town end and Drayton Road.

The vertical wooden slats of the old bridge, pictured here in March 2025, were in a poor state of repair. Since then, orange barriers had been clamped along the sides of the bridge as a temporary measure.

The replacement sides now use horizontal beams made from recycled plastic, designed to resemble wood. A similar material and construction was used when the sides of the town end bridge were replaced three or four years ago.

Queen Mary’s Favour

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On New Year’s Day, the Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers were out. They met at the Punchbowl at 2 p.m. before processing to the Market Place, where they danced for the crowd who had gathered.

Roger Cox, in his role as Fool, introduced each dance. For one dance he drew attention to a stone, inscribed 1556 – 2006, in the centre of the Market Place, commemorating the Abingdon Charter granted by Queen Mary in 1556.

He announced ‘Queen Mary’s Favour’, a dance created in 2006, for that same 450th anniversary. Here is a video in which the Morris dance round and salute their squire – The Mayor of Ock Street, Harry Knight.

Dancing may have kept some of them warm. Being danced round may be an honour, but not a way to keep warm on a cold day

Snow at First Light

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The crochet toppers are gone from the railings on St Helen Wharf, but there was some snow this morning. It was already crisp by the time I trod on it, and so probably fell earlier in the night. It lay thinly along the pavement rather than on the road.

Birds flew over, hopeful of food, at the Wilsham Road feeding area. The brightest patch of sky was south of east. The sun always rises somewhere in the east, but the point shifts through the year, from well south of east in winter to well north of east in summer.

Abingdon Boundary Walk 2026

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This year’s Abingdon Boundary Walk had more than 80 people taking part. The day was dry and the temperature a little over freezing. Before setting off, the group gathered for a photograph, intended for use in the Town Council magazine. The Town Crier warned anyone on the run from the law that they might wish to avoid appearing in the picture.

The walk was led by Cllr Elio Astone, with historical insights from former Mayor, Cllr Gabby Barody. The Town Crier announced each stop and encouraging participants to shout ‘Abingdon-on-Thames!’ at the end of every proclamation.

Cllr Elio Astone described this year’s walk as a more light-hearted version of the event. He replaced the usual antique reading of the 1556 charter boundary with quizzes and anecdotes.

The walk headed first to Abingdon Lock, crossing the weir, and back. This was to view a genuine ‘A’ Abingdon boundary stone early on – the reason for doing the boundary walk anti-clockwise rather than the usual direction. It did mean one family who arrived late and tried to catch up by going clockwise met the walk half way round.

In Penlon Place, at the engravings representing Abingdon’s historic industries, Cllr Elio Astone invited the group to guess which trades were being depicted. The large scissors prompted a suggestion of ‘barbers’. The answer was leather working.

The walk also stopped at the junction of Radley Road and Oxford Road, where a boundary stone once stood. The closest surviving relative is a highway boundary marker.

A substantial looking boundary stone near the John Mason bus stop may have been placed there as a student prank – according to hearsay.

In Albert Park, by the statue of Prince Albert, Cllr Gabby Barody spoke about the ancient charity Christ’s Hospital of Abingdon, explaining how it continues to support families in need, look after the park and alms houses, and with the town council to look after the Albert Monument.

Another stop was made near the Ock Bridge on Drayton Road. Cllr Elio Astone suggested it is the oldest bridge in Abingdon, or at least contains some of the oldest surviving bridge structure.

The final stop was at St Helen’s Wharf, where Cllr Elio Astone rounded things off with a short quiz to test how well people had been listening. There were 59 people who made it all the way round. Three cheers followed for those leading the walk.