St Helens Church looks safe at 7 AM this morning, looking down towards the slipway.
The water level has gone up, perhaps 10 or 12 inches since yesterday morning.
Looking back to St Helens Wharf, from Margaret Brown Garden, water laps over the wall at this point. But it looks like Abingdon has escaped the worst case scenario (40 roads flooded). Visible in this picture, the Old Anchor Inn (flooded on Sunday by the River Ock) has escaped a second flooding – just.
So what next? The River Thames is likely to stay at or near this high level for the next day or so. Flood defences are remaining in place as a precaution because the Environment Agency say there remains the possibility of another ‘surge.’
Thanks for a great blog – as others, I am an ex-resident, but with many friends still in the town and surrounding area. These pictures (and the rest of the blog) are a great discovery for me, and I will return many more times in the future.
BTW – I moved to Abingdon in 1979 and remember the river at least this high on several occasions into the mid eighties. Admittedly, usually in the winter months.
Thanks everybody. I will be going away to Womad (World music festival) for a long weekend, but normally try to post a picture or two a day.
Ditto the comments above. As a native Abingdonian it's nice to be able to see the old place again and keep up with what's going on.
I've bookmarked your site and I'll be back.
So many peole have found this site by accident (me included). I daresay that most, like me, will keep looking at it.
Well done backstreeter – it is a great site.
At least one good thing came of the floods – we all found you!
Lucy – Dorset
Stumbled across the site while looking for news on the Tesco flooding – great pictures (better than the local news!), always up to date and relevant. I live in Abingdon but it's nice to see someone else's views. Keep it going.
Just want to add my thanks for an excellent blog. I was born in Abingdon, baptized at St Helens, sang in their choir and spent many happy days around, on (and sometimes in !) the Thames in my youth. So I am very familiar with the River and its environs. The blog has permitted me to closely follow the worrying events from the North of England. A picture is worth a thousand words etc. Keep it up!
Like most other ex-Abingdon residents, I am on the internet looking at pictures of the flooding and so came across your blog somewhat randomly.
But its great! Its lovely to be able to see whats happening to the town where I grew up. Please keep going!