1972 was the year of Glam rock: T-Rex, Garry Glitter, Slade, David Bowie, Sweet, and Elton John. 1972 was also the year that Caldecott House was replaced by St Amand Drive. On the outer curve of the St Amand Drive (cresent) you find detached houses like the first two pictured.

And on the inner curve are terraces of three story houses that have roof tiles that come down like a knight’s visor.

Branching off St Amand Drive are other roads named after former occupants of Caldecott House (Bailie and Musson), and of early Town Clerks (Godfrey and Sympson).

There is also Thurston Close where this house is being extended. The gardens on the northern edge of the estate are huge, and run all the way to the River Ock.

Finally, there are the little green and wooded areas where younger children play. All protected by the long wall that runs along Caldecott Road.

St Amand Drive is named after Lord Almaric St. Amand, the one time owner of the manor of St Helens. He once owned much of the land to the South of Abingdon. Lord Almaric donated land to build the Long Alley almshouses.

Lord Almaric St. Amand is a great name to grace the year of glam rock: 1972.

The pictures for this 2006 calendar of images of Abingdon were taken back in February 2005. People were given a simple single use camera and told to capture Abingdon (and nearby). From top left, clockwise we have:

• The Dorchester Lagoon
• The weir with
• the churchyard in Little Wittenham beneath
• St Helens Wharf
• Queen Victoria in the Abbey Grounds
• The rainbow bridge, Northmoor
• Conduit Road sign
• Sophos building
• The church in Sutton Courtney
• The gateway by Long Alley almshouse
• The Monday Market
• St Nicholas Church

And this month of September (you can see we avidly cross off the days) shows the Queen Victoria Statue.

Local historian, Nigel Hamond begins the new series of lunch time lectures at St Nicholas Church today. His theme is “Distinguished Old-Abingdonians.” It is free and begins at 12:30 p.m.

Here are a list of distinguished Abingdonians who did not have the chance to grow old.

They gave their lives in the Great War. Press the image to read the names or read them at the war memorial.

As far as I can tell, Christ Church is just a load of old barns off Northcourt Road. They have been purchased over the years. Initially the local people making up the church bought a derelict 12th Century Tithe Barn and converted it into a church.

Then they added a hall next door to act as a church hall, and as an overspill area to the main church. I haven’t been to a service at Christ Church since the days when David Bryant was the curate (circa 1990). He went on to teach at a college training would-be-vicars where the BBC did a fly on the wall TV documentary which heavily featured David Bryant judging whether these would-be-vicars had that X-Factor.

Back then in 1990 the hall served as an overflow area with CCTV links. It was that popular!

And it still appears to be popular, despite the change of ministers.

They have a brand of up-to-date worship music and evangelical outreach. You would hardly think they were Church of England, and they have more to them than just being ‘happy-clappy’.

More recently they have purchased other medieaval barns and building that belonged to a dairy, and are gradually putting them to community use. Some of the buildings have been renovated for use as a kindergarten, youth rooms and band practise, stores, offices, meeting rooms etc…

They have even set up a satellite church in the primary school on the Long Furlong estate.