A tour round the Abbey buildings during the Abingdon Traditional Craft Fair

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The annual Abingdon Traditional Craft Fair was held from Friday 4th, to Sunday, the 6th of November, in and around the Abbey Buildings.

The craft stalls were arranged in seven locations. The usual route involves entering through the Unicorn Theatre, where seats had been cleared.

There were craft stalls upstairs in The Checker.

The largest, most picturesque, space is the Long Gallery, upstairs.

Downstairs the route follows the lower gallery.

The outside ground at the front and the garden at the back had craft gazebos and a large marquee with refreshments.

Finally, there is the undercroft, where there was a potter, some spinners and a weaver, and craft stalls. The craft fair has been an Abingdon fixture in November since the 1970s. Any profits help the upkeep of the Abbey Buildings.

Remember, remember / The fifth of November

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The 2nd Abingdon Scouts organised a community fireworks display behind Long Furlong Community Centre in Abingdon this evening. The 2nd Abingdon Scout Group was founded in 1922 and was first known as 2nd North Berks Scouts. They moved to their present location off Farm Road in the 1960s.

It had been raining before the firework display and a large crowd waited with umbrellas. The Abbey Brass Band played music. There was a BBQ with hot dogs and beefburgers, and canteens with hot drinks provided by the scouts. Then came the countdown for the fireworks.

During the display, the rain stopped but started soon afterwards.

It was good that the annual display coincided with November 5th, Guy Fawkes Night. “Remember, remember / The fifth of November / Gunpowder, treason and plot.” The only bonfire was one filmed and shown on a screen along with adverts for sponsors and the scouts.

There is more information about the scouts at https://2ndabingdonscouts.org.uk/.

Annual Traditional Craft Fair, Autumn Concert, and new local history book

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The Abingdon Craft Fair was started in the 1970s to provide funds for the Abbey Buildings and is still going in the 2020s. See Abingdon Traditional Craft Fair for prices and a list of crafts at the annual craft fair.

Abingdon and District Musical Society have their autumn concert at St Helen’s Church on 12th November. It includes Fauré’s Requiem. See Abingdon & District Musical Society.

Judy Thomas has produced a new local history book about the Hamlet of Northcourt.

Nourthcourt Lane still looks like a hamlet despite being surrounded by Abingdon houses and Abingdon United FC.