In 1951 Phyllis Dawson Clark wrote a poem about the River Ock that flows throgh the Vale of White Horse to Abingdon. Here is the first stanza:
Down from the chalky range of Berkshire hills
Stamped with the cave-man’s god, a lean white horse;
Through rustling cornfields, by a dozen mills
Whose wheels are long since rusty, and across
A thistle wast where winter storms have laid
To rest the hollow trunks, where brittle rot
Harbours the comfrey seedlings that have strayed;
Where centuries of blue forget-me-not
Have sighed away their days unseen, alone,
And sprays of blushing dog-rose bend to kiss
Their own reflection in a pool that’s known
A thousand summers just as sweet as this, —
By the wild rhubarb leaves and giant dock,
Under the willow arches flows the winding Ock.
The Mill Stream was the first blog entry I did about Abingdon ten years ago today. I intended writing a blog about Abingdon in 2006 for one year, and called it Abingdon 2006, but then in 2007 I carried on with The Abingdon Blog. So now it is ten years old.
Happy Birthday to the blog – and here’s to the next 10 years. Thanks Backstreeter.
Best source of really interesting local news. Thanks, Backstreeter, and please keep it up. Happy New Year.
Congratulations, Backstreeter! That’s really quite an achievement, please keep up the good work!
Congratulations, Backstreeter, that’s quite an achievement!
Please keep up the good work! 🙂
The Abingdon Blog is the best source of local info. Many thanks and hope you will continue for at least another 10 years. You deserve an award!
A tour de force and an Abingdon institution.
Essential reading.
Well done, backstreeter.
Backstreeter,
Congratulations, you have done sterling service to the town and the people of Abingdon. here’s to the next decade.
I would really miss the blog if it wasn’t there. Thank you very much for all the information and wonderful photos you produce.
Another fumbs up from me – the go-to site for Abingdon information and lively debate. All credit to backstreeter.
Sorry to be late with congratulations – but this is a first port of call each day. Many thanks, Backstreeter.
Yes, many thanks to Backstreeter, both for the frequent reports on developments in Abingdon and for the interesting historical and cultural details. The town would be poorer without this blog! Happy new year.
I have to agree with the above posts, Abingdon Blog is a daily read for me, normally while I have the first cuppa od the day.
Thank you Backstreeter
As above!
Thank you
It is a pleasure.