I love the Thames at Abingdon

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The Thames at Abingdon
On 6th March 2008, The Abingdon Herald reported that the Abingdon Share a Poem group had produced a book for the Abingdon Arts Festival. The poetry group were 10 year old and still going strong. In September 2020 they are still going – if a little older.
The Thames at Abingdon
At the September 2020 meeting of the group, on Zoom yesterday, Justin Gosling read one of his poems …

The Thames at Abingdon

I love the Thames at Abingdon –
The wintry roar below the weir;
The angry mud race swirling past
St Helen’s round to Culham Reach;
And then the surge to burst its banks
And seize the Isle of Andersey
And all the fields to Culham Bridge –
Triumphant arching salmon leap
From river to resplendent lake.

I love the lazy summer Thames,
Placid now between its banks,
With empty cartons, coots and cans
And boats and bottles bobbing by,
And regal swans
In stately eddies drifting down
Between the meadows and the town.

I love the cool autumnal Thames,
Still beneath the thin white mist;
And far, yet near, the cooling towers,
Each with its plume of shining cloud;
The guardsman poplars, tall and bare,
Turned copper by the sinking sun.
Stormy, empty, busy, calm  –
I love the Thames at Abingdon.

© Justin Gosling

Old Abbey House – Petition to Sign to save the building for the people of Abingdon

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Old Abbey House - Petition
There has been a lot of activity at Old Abbey House with people being shown round in hi-viz jackets and with hard hats.

The Vale of White Horse District Council no longer need the buildings and have put it on the market with a guide price of around £1m to see if there are potential buyers. That does not include the garden.  They are also in discussion with the Friends of Abingdon Civic Society to see if there are any suitable community uses.
Old Abbey House - Petition
Old Abbey House can be approached by foot from the Market Place via the Abbey Gateway and is at the heart of Abingdon.
Old Abbey House - Petition
It is a very welcoming building and once some of the 1970s office panelling is removed will look far more attractive inside.
Old Abbey House - Petition
It has many attractive features.
Old Abbey House - Petition
The building is made of two halves and I was told that the lower half is the older part. Explorations by the Friends of Abingdon will discover more.

The friends think it could potentially have lots of rooms for community use as well as a cafe looking out onto the Abbey Gardens. They are doing a lot of the ground work, and a feasibility study, and are looking for leaders to take on the project as trustees.

To show your support for the building being kept for the people of Abingdon you can sign the petition at https://www.change.org/p/vowhdc-save-old-abbey-house-for-the-people-of-abingdon.

The Friends of Abingdon have more information at https://abingdoncivicsociety.org.uk/old-abbey-house-update/.

New Road Markings along the Northcourt Road

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I spoke with Newcomer yesterday and he said it was a pleasure to cycle down the Northcourt Road with the new surface and road markings.
New Road Markings on the Northcourt Road
The fresh markings could not be clearer.
New Road Markings on the Northcourt Road
The Highway Code says “Double yellow lines mean no waiting at any time, unless there are signs that specifically indicate seasonal restrictions. “ There is not mistaking these double yellow lines whether straight or curved.
New Road Markings on the Northcourt Road
There are letterings, some of them familiar like the BUS STOP sign.
New Road Markings on the Northcourt Road
But this is the first time I have seen FOOTWAY across a junction where the footpath has to pass.

Does this give priority to the pedestrian over the vehicle?
New Road Markings on the Northcourt Road
“KEEP CLEAR, KEEP CLEAR!”.

Waking up on September 1st

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Waking up on September 1st
I could not sleep and got up early this morning – September 1st. The sunrise at St Helen’s Wharf was awesome.
Waking up on September 1st
The light from the low sun caught the tops of the buildings up Bridge Street, and a cloud of water vapour spread out from Didcot B Power Station.
Waking up on September 1st
The sun lit up the undersides of the arches of Abingdon Bridge.
Waking up on September 1st
and brightened the trees as seen from the wider span of the bridge. Trees are starting to turn to their autumn colours.
Waking up on September 1st
St Helen’s Church and Fairlawn Wharf were lit up in contrast to the darker clouds above.
Waking up on September 1st
Early sunlight lit up the dewey ground and dazzled.

September is here. New beginnings. Most school children will be going back to school soon. I saw some Extinction Rebellion posters in Steventon with a picture of a tree and the slogan Build Back Better.The starker XR posters on public boxes and flower containers in Abingdon say there is a protest outside parliament today – September 1st.