Production of the MG ceased in 1981 and since then the factory site has become Abingdon Business Park and attracted a lot of new busines to the town.

The site was bought and developed by Standard Life. (Standard Life were demutalised back in June, and a lot of people got shares in the company as part of the deumtualisation.)

The Park has been landscaped and has the most impressive fountains and lily ponds in the town. It has even won awards for the transformation from derelict factory site to leafy utopian place to work.

This is one of the newer buildings, and faces the only undeveloped stretch of land. I saw three pheasant skidaddling around there before taking this picture. The front is one large open glass wall like a cross-section into an office. Here, Swets Information Services manage the distribution of academic and other publications. They have taken over the more well know local firm: Blackwells Information Services.

Next door, is the UK centre for EBI foods. They are a major supplier to McDonalds of batters and breadcrumbs. A few years ago EBI Foods had a modest distribution centre off the Drayton Road, and have expanded to this much larger space….

Other Major office holders in the Business Park include:

• GE Medical Systems
• Schlumberger
• Oxfordshire County Council

These smiling people recently arrived back in Abingdon after two years working as VSO volunteers in the Gambia.

One of their escapades got into our newspapers a year ago: Townsfolk chip in to buy African artificial limb. The limb was supplied by an Abingdon company in Nuffield Way called Opcare

But M and A may not be quite ready to settle back to life in Abingdon. They have applied again to VSO to do two more years. So very soon they are likely to be leaving Abingdon to work in Cambodia.

This young Monkey Puzzle tree in the Albert Park looks cute enough.

This old Monkey Puzzle tree in the Albert Park looks like an alien species that has lost its sense of fun.

The hospital of St John stood outside the Abbey Gateway. It was the home of six poor persons fed and clothed by the abbey.

This site continued as an Almshouse after the dissolution of the Abbey in 1538, and was one of many responsibilities taken over by the new Borough of Abingdon in 1556.

The area next to the gateway became a centre of Corporate administration and the building was eventually taken over for the Borough’s own use.

St Johns almshouse in the Vineyard was built in its place for the care of six poor people. The sign reads “St John’s Hospital endowed before the Reformation, Rebuilt by The Corporation of Abingdon… Anno Dom 1801.”

A little further north, there is a road called St John’s Road.

St John was the disciple most closely associated with Mary, the mother of Jesus. St Johns Hospital was originally built near the Abbey dedicated to “Our Lady”.

St Johns Road (pictured) has grown up next to “Our Lady’s Convent.”