SGN, the gas distribution company for Southern England, is replacing old metal gas pipes with new plastic pipes in Abingdon. The new pipes are yellow because that is the standard colour for gas.
The work in Bath Street is scheduled to be completed on 1st September 2023. This is part of a larger programme of gas main replacement that is being carried out in phases across Abingdon.
A modern statue of St Edmund of Abingdon can be seen in the grounds of St Edmund Hall in Oxford. The statue depicts the saint sitting on a bench, with a book in his hand. St Edmund was a man of learning and humility. He was born in Abingdon in about 1175, and he studied in Oxford before becoming a respected lecturer and eventually Archbishop of Canterbury.
If you want to learn more about St Edmund of Abingdon, you could try the blog of A Clerk of Oxford: https://aclerkofoxford.blogspot.com/2017/11/st-edmund-and-abingdon.html .
To see the statue yourself, visit St Edmund Hall, Queen’s Lane (OX1 4AR), open daily 10:00-16:00 for free.
A family of swans caught by the swan uppers three weeks ago now appear to have six cygnets. The swans were initially seen with four cygnets before and at the swan upping, but they have since been seen with six cygnets.
I was told that the swans had been using the same territory as the family with four cygnets, from Abingdon Bridge to Wilsham Reach. Today, I saw the swans myself. One adult swan was preening at St Helen’s slipway; the other was out with six cygnets. I could see that at least four of the cygnets had rings, suggesting that they were caught by the swan uppers.
Two cygnets may have joined the family. Has anybody a better explanation of what has happened?
Pygmy goats Boomer, Dingle, Tootle, and Tumble have been meeting and greeting locals and visitors on Abingdon Lock Island since the start of August. Their current fencing is made from upside-down crowd control barriers, which didn’t stop one of them from escaping yesterday for a short while.
Thankfully, the goat was quickly recaptured, and the crowdfunding campaign to buy new fencing has succeeded. With the £572 raised, the goats will soon have 15 Galvanised 6ft Interlocking Sheep Hurdles to keep them safe and secure.
The goats are a source of joy for visitors and locals alike. They are such crowd-pleasers!