There is a new shop in town called Fat Face. They sell what they describe as ‘active wear and outdoor clothing.’ The shop is at the corner of High street and Bridge street, the shop with the round corner window where Ciro Citterio used to be until they went into liquidation.

Fat Face clothes are fairly pricey and I haven’t bought anything yet. But I do like that bright window display, and those young looking clothes.

I hope they will do enough business to stay. Maybe I’ll have to pay a bit more for my next purchase of ‘active wear or outdoor clothing’ to help keep them in Abingdon.

This blue strip of light still startles me whenever I walk at night along St Edmunds Lane, and past the entrance to Neave Mews. The sculpture by Philip Bews and Diane Gorvin was constructed almost a year ago, as were the houses of Neave Mews.

Airey Neave was the member of parliament for Abingdon until March 30th 1979. He is famous for being the first person to escape to freedom from Colditz (the second world war pOW camp). He then became a spy for the rest of the war.

This modern housing estate has Electric Gates, and three-story houses round a courtyard. One entrance is through the gate, and the other is under an archway at the Foyer. I can imagine Airey Neave in a German uniform quietly making his way to the gate, and in perfect German talking to the guards before making his way through to a boat waiting for him on the River.

Much of Abingdon’s history is dominated by the once-great Bededictine Abbey. The large central church, St Mary’s, is thought to have looked like like Wells Cathedral. Nobody really knows.

What we do know is that it stood in the area that is now The Abbey Park. In one corner are ecclesiastical arches that look like they could belong to that once-great church. But bring along any expert and they’ll let you know that you have a genuine fake: a victorian folley.

Yesterday, students from the Art Foundation course at Abingdon College were wrapping up street signs, park benches, trees, and even themselves, all in the name of art. The example I have to show you is a very well known feature in Abingdon town centre. Not E.T.