Seen from below the finial balls gave symmetry and elegance to the balustrade round the County Hall roof.
From above, I sometimes thought, they got in the way of a good view.
When architects were assessing the work needed on the County Hall roof they found the finial balls were not secure enough. As a result they have been removed, probably until 2012.
The roof has also been closed to the public because of Health and Safety concerns. Better safe than sorry I am afraid.
That is always a lovely view of East St.Helen Street. I regularly look at your blog and look forward to the different views of our lovely town.
Shame about the roof being closed as the view from up there is great – glad I went up and got some video a few weeks ago. The decking was indeed a bit ropey though!
Amanda,
If it’s photos of Abingdon….I stumbled accross (well, clicked on!) one of the “Bloggs” to the right…Abingdon Walks. Lots of photos – including of the Old Gaol development…
very interesting, and very good.
Should it be called a ‘ustrade’ now that it has been castrated?
I assume this means that there will be no bun throwing until 2012? If it is unsafe for the public, it is unsafe for the councillors.
1) Fix and reinstall the d—- balls! (Aren’t they protected as features of a “Listed” building???)
2) Repair whatever else is wrong with the roof!
3) Tell the “nanny-state” inspectors to go away !
4) Re-open the roof to the public !
The views from the roof are some of the main tourist attractions A’don has to offer !
sadly, i have some more news:
1. Due to a risk assesment highlighting the danger of being run over in the High Street, this road will now be closed to vehicular traffic.
2. This is due to an increased risk to pedestrians due to the trip hazard of walking on the pavements. Sadly, an expected increase in the number of pedestrians means that the trip hazard is now too great to be allowed, and pedestrians will be walking on the roadway
3. This increase in the number of pedestrians is anticipated when all municipal parks (including the Abbey Grounds) are permanently closed to the public.
4. this closure is because a health and safety report has highlighted a small but real risk to the public of meteorite strike in open spaces.
I realise that this will be a shock to Abingdon residents, but better safe than sorry, I am afraid.
OK. That was absurd. But isn’t closing a roof where there has been no accident for 300 years a bit on the overprotective side? We accept far greater risks than this without thinking every time we cross the road or walk down the street
According to the town archivist ‘on Oct 13, 1781 A person at Abingdon Fair was killed by a stone falling from the top of the Market House.’
Backstreeter,
Thanks to you and the town archivist for such telling information. Was the “stone” part of the building which somehow became detached? Or could it have been a projectile thrown by some 1781 version “hoodie”? Either way, it still makes the point that the risk to the public of a falling finial Is truly MINISCULE. Enough of this foolish “health & safety concerns”!!! All too often nowadays this is used as a excuse for not doing something!!!
BTW, I’m still waiting to hear details on the money to be paid for the Old Gaol property! WHEN will that be revealed???
1781? I can see why the health and safety people were so concerned. Shutting a major Abingdon tourist attraction was clearly long overdue.
Its hardly overkill is it? To be fair if those balls were loose any idiot could have leant on them, now imagine one of those bloody great things tumbling down on a car or heaven forbid somebody crossing the road. I’d rather the roof is shut until this and all the other wood that is bound to be rotten is sorted out and what is the sense in doing the work now, reopening the roof for a few days and then closing it to do the refurbishments theyre doing and undo the repairs to the roof anyway?
Sometimes it IS common sense and not just ”elf n safety gone mad”