There is a well thumbed copy of Pevsner’s 1966 study of Berkshire architecture in the local studies reference section of Abingdon library. There are 11 pages about Abingdon. Pevsner has a controversial turn of phrase…

1. St Nicholas – An odd west front
2. Trinity – full-blown churchy…fussy Geometrical tracery
3. County Hall – Of the free-standing town halls of England this is the grandest – grander decidedly that Windsor
4. Old Police Station – A plain, honest job

5. Free Library – too tall to be credible or suitable within the scale of Abingdon

6. Abingdon School – high, clumsy and Gothic
7. Old Gaol – impressive enough by itself; the siting is unpardonable.
8. Corn Exchange – no definite style nor alas personality
9. Abingdon Bridge – the view towards St Helens church is lovely, or would be, if it were not for the Old Gaol
10. Queens Hotel – unbelievably joyless

(The Corn Market and Queens Hotel got demolished soon after – unable to carry on after Pevsner.)

In 2010 a fully revised and rewritten Pevsner’s Berkshire has been published.

Abingdon is still in Berkshire, not Oxfordshire according to this book. (Abingdon was transferred to Oxfordshire 8 years after Pevsner but many still keep the faith and will be glad of this keeping with tradition.)

There was a walk round some of our great Abingdon buildings yesterday organised by Mostly Books- taken by the author of the new Pevsner. The new book looks much bigger than the original. It is better researched. A few of Pevsner’s more whimsical judgements have been removed, but most are still in. The new author recognises their charm.