This Abingdon Church Hall was featured in the 1927 Hooke’s Abingdon Almanack and Directory – to show the workmanship of P.A and G Randall, Builders and Contractors of Swinburne Road. It was built in 1926 – funded by public subscription.
The Church Hall would have been situated about where the road runs in front of Abbey House, and was demolished in 1988 when the Abbey House Council Offices were built. Demolition allowed access to Abbey Close avoiding the Abbey Gateway – which in our times need protection from passing traffic.
The church hall was used for the WI Market, church youth clubs, blood donor clinics, church socials, jumble sales, dances, and performances on a small stage.
It was directly behind St Nicholas Church. You could drive through the archway from the end of Stert Street and then go left immediately down a track. School dentist used to operate out of there. Remember going to dances there with Vernon Whitehead.
The Church Hall was sited in the Parish of Abingdon St Nicholas, although the legally separate parish of Abingdon St Helen was largely responsible for building and administering it. The dedication tablet over the entrance stated that it was for the benefit of “The Parish”..
Yes.I worked above the TSB bank in the 60s to the late 80s when the building was demolished and it was a tricky manoeuvre getting into the back yard between the Church Hall and the back gate of the bank yard (which is exactly where it is today).