Paint Abingdon Pink – Saturday 12th July 2025


Against Breast Cancer’s annual community fundraising event formerly Splash of Pink and now after a public vote Paint Abingdon Pink will be on Abingdon Market Place on Saturday 12th July from 10:00 to 16:00.

There will be live music by groups thanks to The Skittle Alley, performances from Abingdon belly dancers, arts and crafts, Star Trek characters, and a barbecue. Stalls from many local groups and societies will add to the atmosphere.

Some Shop windows are already painted pink in preparation. This example is one of the Masons pink windows

and here is another pink touch.

A special highlight will be the creation of a communal artwork, inviting members of the public to take part in remembering and celebrating loved ones lost to cancer. As well as raising funds the event will raise awareness in support of life-saving breast cancer research.

The Monk Has Fallen – Again


The wooden monk that once stood on the Marcham Road roundabout has fallen again. Carved from a single tree trunk, he was a reminder of Abingdon’s Abbey, greeting drivers as they arrived from the A34.

But time and weather have taken their toll. The base has rotted from within, splitting apart and throwing the monk to the ground. Another crack runs through his head – as if suffering double vision.

Over the years, the monk had become a local character. Occasionally dressed up in costumes, he brought smiles and scandal to this prominent Marcham Road Roundabout.

Originally installed by Abingdon Town Council during a Britain in Bloom campaign and sponsored by Abbey Press, the figure was cared for — until Abbey Press closed and no new sponsor came forward. He first fell a couple of years ago and after a few months was propped back up. But now the rot has spread too far.

I was recently in Cirencester and saw their own monk and abbot, standing in their Abbey Grounds. Unlike our monk, they stand on a stone base, protected from the soil. They were created by an artist as part of the Abbey 900 Legacy Project and dedicated in September 2021.

Our Marcham Road monk may have fallen, but the idea behind him still stands: a reminder of Abingdon’s heritage. Perhaps it’s time to ask — what should decorate the roundabout now? It’s the first roundabout many visitors see on the way into town. Although many visitors don’t get further than that roundabout – with its out-of-town hotels, trading estate, business park, petrol stations and supermarkets.

Lodge Hill A34 Interchange – Progress Update (Summer 2025)


Enabling works are well underway on the Lodge Hill A34 interchange upgrade. Since the earlier blog post announcing the start of construction, more progress has been made – especially on the works depot and car park. This area will eventually link a new roundabout on the A4183 (Oxford Road) with a new slip road onto the southbound A34 towards Newbury, helping to ease traffic through Abingdon.

Further vegetation clearance has taken place near the existing slip road from Oxford. This is in preparation for one of the two new roundabouts. It will connect the slip road from Oxford and the new slip road towards Newbury with the A4183.

There has been some clearance for the other new roundabout. It will connect the new slip road from Newbury and the slip road to Oxford with the A4183.

The main construction work — including the two roundabouts forming the new ‘dumbbell’ layout and south facing slip roads — is due to begin in late summer 2025. As part of the project, the access road to Egertons will be re-routed.

Cool by the Water


Yesterday was hot, and people were glad of the water fountain in Roysse Court.

Down by the Mill Stream, birds not usually thought of as water birds had joined the ducks and moorhen and swans

— drawn by the need to drink or dip their feathers.

It wasn’t a weekend or school holiday, but there was already a queue of people glad to find the open-air pool open.

The lone parent swan family are surviving. Having lost one parent, there are still eight siblings — already in the water, they come ashore in search of food.