A team of archaeologists from Thames Valley Archaeological Services have dug six trenches and uncovered Medieval and Roman artifacts, including pottery, human remains, and a wall linked to a bell tower from the former Abbey, during improvement works at Abingdon’s Cattle Market car park.
These walls and the cemetery site will be preserved and have led to a small delay. The archaeological ditches have been covered over and part of the car park has re-opened in the run up to Christmas. The project will now be completed in March 2025.
The car park project, funded by Thames Water, aims to enhance usability and sustainability through resurfacing, improved lighting, and a rain garden.
Councillor Mark Coleman, Vale of White Horse District Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Waste, said: ‘It’s exciting to discover more about the fascinating history of Abingdon and the Abbey.’
Thanks to the Thames Valley Archaeological Services for the first picture.
Just curiosity on my part, but though it’s pretty decent of Thames Water to be funding improvements to the Cattle Market car park, why aren’t they spending it on much-needed improvements to their own infrastructure?
I don’t understand why Thames Water are involved at all, what an utter waste of money that could be put to better use elsewhere.
I am not amused. I have been fighting for a long time to get a dangerou part of the concrete road at Peep O Day Lane repaired. Peep O Day Lane is popular with cyclists, walkers and runners to say nothing of the allotment holders at Drayton Road Allotments who have to drive their cars down this road to get to the allotments. One part of the road which is only approximately 15 ft in length has jagged concrete edges to the road which are dangerous to the road users. However, the road is unadopted and all the local councils will have nothing to do with it. I have appealed to Thames Water as the main user of the road for all their lorries etc, to help us fill in the dangerous edges. They have ruled that as they do not own the road they are not going to help. I have appealed this decision to the CEO of Thames Water. I said that Thames Water are doing a lot of work in this area and it would be easy for them to take a lorry load of earth or hardstanding and repair the edge of the road. Oxfordshire County Council have designated the road as part of the cycling route and will have nothing to do with repairing the dangerous part.
who owns the footpath ?? between tescos marston road and the wier ??. this footpath has been flooded and now very difficult to struggle to use. if tou are like me and have a wheel buggey then it is nearly impossable. cossack bill.