Rivers, Ruins and Roadsters in Abingdon, England

Abingdon-on-Thames, more commonly known simply as Abingdon is a lovely destination for an interesting day out or a city break. Several accolades are associated with this ancient town on the banks of the River Thames in Oxfordshire. There is archaeological evidence to support its claim to be the oldest, continuously inhabited market town in England. It has the grandest town hall and Abingdon Lock on the River Thames is the oldest surviving lock chamber in the United Kingdon and possibly Europe. Abingdon owes its existence to the River Thames.

The River Thames at Abingdon

The Thames has played a key role in the history and development of Abingdon. Ancient trackways led to the River Thames in Abingdon as it was one of a few places where the Thames could be forded or crossed by a ferry when the water was high. This would have been the attractions to early settlers and travellers. Today the River Thames, flowing just a short distance from the town centre is spanned by the medieval bridges on Bridge Street. It was inevitable that as the settlement here and the number of travellers passing through increased that a bridge would be built over the river here. Two stone bridges spanning the Ock River, were built to the west of the town, Ock Bridge (1080) and St Helen’s Bridge (c1200). Both were on the main route from the south and south west. Travel from the east across the River Thames remained difficult until the fifteenth century when the first stone bridge was built. It is thought a wooden bridge may have been there before a stone bridge was built in 1416.

That first stone bridge was a real feat of engineering as it had to cross two channels, the Thames itself and a navigation channel known as the Swift Ditch. The latter had been created during the eleventh century by the Abbot at that time to improve navigation between Abingdon and Oxford. It did reduce journey time but was subject to a toll of 100 herrings in Lent. A group of Abingdon merchants were responsible for building two stone bridges spanning these river crossings with a causeway connecting them. This new crossing became the main route towards London bringing increased prosperity to the town. Today the Swift Ditch is a back water of the Thames and the original Culham Bridge has fallen into disrepair. It is only fit for pedestrians and new bridge carried vehicles across the water. Abingdon Bridge has undergone major repairs and improvements following the dredging of a navigation channel in the Thames at the end of the eighteenth century. More recently sections of this bridge have been rebuilt using reinforced concrete but faced with the original stones to preserve its historic appearance.

There are steps from Abingdon Bridge going down to the Thames Path. This path offers a very pleasant walk along the river bank towards the historic St Helen’s Wharf and St Helen’s Church on the far side of the river. In the opposite direction several tracks lead through Rye Farm Meadow to the Abingdon Lock. The original lock was built here in 1624 but when it was replaced by the current lock in 1790 it was converted to a weir at the top of the Swift Ditch. Parts of the original lock are still visible and it is considered to be the oldest surviving lock chamber in Britain and possibly Europe. The ‘new’ lock is fully automated to deal with water traffic going upstream to Oxford or downstream towards London. Its lock house was built in 1928 and is still used by the resident lock keeper. Refreshments are available here during the summer months. There is a walkway across the lock and the weir to Abbey Meadow once part of the Abbey at Abingdon.

The Abbey in Abingdon

Towards the end of the seventh century members of the royal house of Wessex established a monastery and a nunnery in Abingdon. But 300 years later repeated attacks by the Danes had left these buildings in ruins. However, its fortunes were revived in 953 when the old monastery was granted to a Benedictine monk who established the Abbey of St Mary. The church and domestic quarters were rebuilt and mills with a millstream were added. During this period Abingdon Abbey was one of the most cultured and wealthy monasteries in the country. Despite hostilities between the abbey and the town (the latter resented their strict rule) the monks led comfortable lives supported by the prior and other officials. But, during the dissolution of the monasteries in 1538 Abingdon Abbey surrendered voluntarily and the community removed everything of value leaving an empty shell. It was not long before the abbey fell into ruins.

Twenty years after the surrender of the abbey its precinct was purchased from the Crown by a miller who was already leasing the abbey mills. Most of the monastic buildings had been demolished by then and their stones used for other purposes. The Abbey Gateway and St John’s Hospital were sold to the Borough of Abingdon and continue to be used as civic buildings today. Other properties were gradually disposed of and used for various different purposes including a brewery and a prison. In 1923 the site of the old abbey was acquired by the local authority and is now a public park known as the Abbey Gardens near the centre of town.

Fronting the Abbey Gardens is the Old Abbey House which was built by a wealthy businessman around 1780 when the gardens were in private ownership. When Edwin Trendell acquired the house in 1847, he created the formal garden, today known as Trendell’s Garden and built Trendell’s Folly using discarded stones from local churches. Both were retained when the gardens came into public ownership but the house itself was sold to a local property developer in 2020. It has been sensitively restored and is now a beautiful self-check-in hotel – the Old Abbey House Hotel.

Abbey Gardens are comprised of two main areas, Trendell’s Formal Gardens with flower beds, herbaceous borders, seating an Italian walkway and a rock garden. Beyond these gardens is open parkland featuring mature trees and an ornamental lake. There is also a stature of Queen Victoria that was moved here from its original position in the Market Place in 1946. Very little remains above ground of the abbey that once stood where the park is now but the foundations have been indicated with stone slabs demonstrating the size of it.

Some of the abbey buildings do still exist and it is thanks to the efforts of the Friends of Abingdon Abbey Buildings that they have been saved from demolition, restored and put to good use. Checker Hall on Thames Street dates back to the fifteenth century and may have been a granary originally. It has also been used as a single dwelling before being divided into a number of small cottages. After being acquired by the Friends in the 1940s it was restored and re-developed as an Elizabethan-style theatre. Re-named the Unicorn Theatre it staged its first production in 1953. In 2017 the Unicorn Cinema was opened offering modern entertainment in a fifteenth century setting. The Checker, the oldest building in the same row of buildings, dates from around 1270 and probably has one of the best examples of thirteenth century chimney in England. Its original purpose may have been the business office of the abbey. Other old abbey buildings in the same area include the Long Gallery, the Lower Hall and a mill. And the old Abbey Gate on Abbey Close which leads into the Market Place, the heart of Abingdon.

The Market Place and County Hall in Abingdon

Markets in in Abingdon have a much longer history than the town’s market place in front of the County Hall built between 1678 and 1683. The town’s tradition of markets and fairs began as early as the thirteenth century when the it was already a thriving agricultural and trading centre. These were made ‘official’ by the grant of several Royal Charters to hold markets since the fourteenth century. The Charter market has been running continuously since then. Originally these markets were for labourers to find work and farmers to sell livestock and produce. The Michaelmas Fair started as a mediaeval fair for the hiring of rural farmworkers. The addition of stalls and fairground rides over the years has seen this annual fair develop into the longest street fair in Europe. This fair arrives in October and runs for a mile from the Market Place and along the length on Ock Street, encroaching on side streets as well. A week later the smaller Runaway Fair takes place in the Market Place and High Street.

Watching over the many events in the Market Place is the splendid County Hall originally the Town Hall or Market Hall. At the time it was built Abingdon was the county town of Berkshire hence the grandeur of this this market space beneath a courtroom. It now houses a museum (free entrance) featuring a permanent exhibition relating to the history of the town and surrounding area and temporary exhibitions. Visitors can climb to the top of its tower (entrance fee applies) to enjoy panoramic views of the town below. Bun throwing, a unique tradition going back to the sixteenth century takes place from this roof. Councillors in ceremonial robes throw specially made currant buns to the townsfolk below to celebrate royal occasions. Preserved buns are exhibited in the museum as well as exhibits relating to the industrial heritage of the town that includes breweries and a car manufacturer.

The Industrial Heritage of Abingdon

Brewing in Abingdon goes back to the days of its abbey which is where this industry began here. After the abbey surrendered to the Crown this industry continued and flourished in the old abbey buildings now in private ownership. Two of the independent breweries in Abingdon, Abbey Brewery and Eagle Brewery were acquired by Morland Brewery in the 1860s. Following these acquisitions Morland Brewery, originally established in West Ilsley in 1711 to brew ale and porter for pubs in-and-around London, moved its operations to Ock Street in Abingdon. Morland continued to expand by acquiring other independent breweries. But in 1992 it became the subject of a take-over bid by Green King. This first bid was unsuccessful but Green King succeeded in taking over the whole business in 1998 and all brewing was moved to Bury St Edmunds. The Morland brewery buildings were converted to residential flats and a pub, The Brewery Tap, in Ock Street. This pub bears the insignia of Morland Brewery – as do the many buildings in Abingdon associated with the Morland Brewery – an artist holding a glass of beer. One of Morland’s most success brews was the result of a collaboration between the brewery and the MG car manufacturer.

In 1929 the MG Car Company moved from its Cowley base to a factory in Abingdon and for the next 50 years MG cars were manufactured here. In 1979, to celebrate fifty years in Abingdon the company asked Morland to brew a special beer to commemorate the anniversary. They would suggest a name and design the label for the bottle. “Old Speckled Hen” was the chosen name. It took its name from a strange car, the MG Featherweight Fabric Saloon, that had come to Abingdon when the factory moved. As the name suggests it was made from fabric and speckled with gold. It was used as a general runabout and workers would say there goes the “the Owd Speckl’d ‘un” which was translated to The Old Speckled Hen. This brew subsequently went into production it proved so popular. The car company moved out of Abingdon soon after celebrating fifty years but that was not the end of the MG Cars association with Abingdon. In 1930 the MG Car Club was formed and its headquarters are still in Abingdon. Incorporated in the administrative building is a small museum celebrating the achievements of MG cars and open to the public (free entry).

Abingdon retains the atmosphere of a typical English market town with its tradition of a weekly Charter Market held in an old-fashioned market place. A welcoming cobbled space where visitors can sip a coffee in the shade of its trees.

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