Runaway Fair

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The Runaway Fair is the smaller fair, with children’s rides, on the Monday one week after the Michaelmas Fair.

The fair looked fairly busy today when children had finished school (see picture above).

It is called the runaway fair because:
a) children often runaway from school to go to the runaway fair.
b) adults used to runaway from employment taken at the Michaelmas hiring Fair and found new employment at the Runaway hiring fair.
c) a few childrens’ rides runaway from the main Michaelmas fair and come back to Abingdon.

Peregrine Falcon, Harvest and Baptism at Trinity

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Gareth, who is a keen bird watcher and works at Trinity Church, shared this picture taken by a resident in Conduit Road.

It shows a Peregrine Falcon on the steeple of Trinity Church.

In Trinity church today we had Harvest and the first Baptism since the start of lockdown. The harvest offering were not as big as usual and will be taken to the Asylum Welcome Food Bank in Oxford. The baby was carried round the church by Ian, the Minister, and slept through the whole event.

We hope the Peregrine Falcon will nest and make babies.

Fog and a Gift Market in the Guildhall

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There was a foggy start to the day here in Abingdon-on-Thames. The sun and blue sky would be seen later.

The fog gave the grotto at Cosener’s House a more mysterious appearance.

At that early hour stall holders were arriving with their boxes for a Craft and Gift Market at the Guildhall. It used the Roysse Court entrance, Roysse Room, and Magistrates Court.

Entry was free.

What was interesting about this market was the efforts made to attract people to the event. ‘Ladies! Gentlemen! Come this way! Come this way!’ One man outside was like a market stall caller trying to attract people to the market. A lady went further afield with a spinning arrow device.

There were about twenty stalls and they were all quite decent. Walking through I got the feeling that the stall holders were each hoping we would buy. They were so polite and willing to please, and said thankyou when we said ‘what a lovely display’ and answered with great detail when asked how the bowl with different woods and resin was made. They also had some good lines. The soap maker from Fareham in Surrey said ‘one customer told me this was the best saving soap he had bought’. We bought a couple of things and have no complaints.

Tackling climate change – Zaragoza to Abingdon

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On Wednesday a walking group passed through Abingdon. They started in Zaragoza, Spain and will be finishing in Glasgow where the COP 26 Climate conference is taking place. The conference aims to unite the world to tackle climate change.

Last Saturday, neighbours from Compton Drive and Appleford Drive planted bulbs on the green at their junction. They have plans to adopt the green from the council and would like to put in some modest trees. This fits in with a VWHDC tree planting policy by residents.

On the subject of tackling climate change, the VWHDC (Vale of White Horse District Council) have joined a grouping of 100+ councils who believe tackling the climate emergency is a key priority.

Thanks to Tim, the Green Abingdon Town Crier, for the pictures.