At the end of the month the County Hall museum will close for redevelopment. The staircase is not going to be altered, although in the early days the idea to sink a lift up the central shaft was suggested.

The staircase has been used in recent years to display a brief history of Abingdon.

One display says ‘Entrusted to mother earth’ and tells of the collapse of Roman rule and the coming of the Saxons.

Then about half way up the stairs one reaches the Sessions hall where the main exhibition, reception desk, shop and coffee shop are currently to be found …