Abingdon Monday Market to also be Monthly on Saturday

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There’s exciting news for fans of the Abingdon Monday Market! In addition to the regular Monday Market, stall holders will be out on the second Saturday of the month, unless it coincides with another event. This will be a chance for those who can’t make it on Mondays.

This Saturday, however, the frosty weather was a challenge, with only two stallholders braving the cold. One of them was Martin Wackenier of Devine Times Photography, who was offering some pictures at half price. Martin’s enthusiasm for photography began at a young age, sparked by a box camera given him by his grandfather, who recently passed away. It’s thanks to his grandfather’s encouragement that Martin now captures such stunning images.

Martin is pictured with his own picture of an Orangutan (Benjy I think) who Martin adopted as a Birthday Present at Dudley Zoo. As an adopter, Martin got a free entry to the zoo and even got to help feed Benjy, who now recognises him!

Flooded Paths, Frozen Fields, and Cancelled Plans

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People are not able to walk to Tesco or the Fairacres Retail Park by the scenic route at the moment as it is again under water. They have to walk by the Marcham Road. At Fairacres, Homebase still seems to have stock to sell off. The person I asked hadn’t been told a final closing date yet.

The fields near Tesco are frozen as we go through a cold snap this week.

Last Saturday, I wished the Abingdon parkrun success in the coming year, but unfortunately, the event scheduled for 11th January 2025 has already been cancelled due to frozen flooding. It seems well-wishing isn’t always enough.

Swans from Spring to Winter at the Abbey Meadows

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Back in May 2024 there were a swan family with 9 cygnets on the Mill Stream near the Abbey Meadows in Abingdon.

Now, halfway through winter, a swan family with four cygnets can be seen along the same stretch. The young swans, almost adult in size, still have youthful brownish plumage and grey bills.

The cygnets remain with their parents, who have not yet chased them away. According to Swan Life, this separation usually happens when cygnets are between five and ten months old.

The move to independence will be a dangerous time. Their first flights bring the risk of colliding with power lines, one of the big hazards in their journey to adulthood. Their new location is unlikely to offer quite the same ready supply of human food as the bridge near the open air pool.

Thamesview Bridge, Abingdon

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This is the bridge I referred to on New Year’s Day as ‘The Abingdon Sword Bridge’. It doesn’t resemble a sword in shape but has a connection to the Abingdon Sword.

The Abingdon Sword, discovered in the River Ock in Abingdon, is now held by the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, with a replica on display at the Abingdon Museum. It’s a fine example of Anglo-Saxon craftsmanship, believed to have belonged to a prince or wealthy nobleman.

If you step back and view the bridge from the riverbank, you’ll notice its outer panels feature floral or leafy designs, copied from the handle of the sword. The artist Richard Farrington was commissioned to create these special panels when the bridge was erected in 2007 as part of the Thamesview development.

The inside panels of the bridge show creatures. On one side, the central panel shows the four surrounding panels in miniature. These are thought to represent the four gospel writers, traditionally symbolised as:
* Matthew: A man
* Mark: A lion
* Luke: A calf
* John: An eagle

See if you can see which is which.

On the opposite side are creatures (maybe serpents or dragons) intertwined in the knotty way often seen in Anglo Saxon craftwork.

You might also notice padlocks attached to the bridge cables — left as symbols of modern day romantic relationships. There were more padlocks, but some have been removed and new ones added.

This and other art works round Abingdon can be explored using The Abingdon Art Walk, just one of several walks available from the Friends of Abingdon Civic Society. Paper copies can be found in Abingdon Library and the Information Centre.