Trip to Abingdon

 

A few photos from my recent trip to Abingdon-on-Thames but around here people just call it Abingdon. It used to be the  county town of Berkshire before Reading inherited the title in 1869. The town is one of the oldest in the country. If you would like to read more about it's history the click on the above link to Wikipedia

Parking in the long stay carpark is recommended and the first thing you notice going over the bridge is the Old Gaol which was built buy French Prisoners from the Napoleonic wars. According to local legend, prior to its conversion in the 1970s, the gaol was haunted by the ghost of an eight-year-old boy who, after being convicted for arson in the mid-19th century, became the youngest person in the UK to be executed by hanging.

You will notice this church in the market place it is St Nicholas Church which I found out is locked most of the time.

 

Another point of interest is the Abbey Gateway, the Abbey used to be just past the blue hoarding you see in the distance

This was my next port of call St Helens Church which is Huge inside and like the last church a future post on the Church Explorer

 

Right by the church you find these Almshouses

These I think are older and are called Long Alley Almshouses. There is another set of almshouse a little further on the way out of town

I will take my leave here with that view along the Thames towards Abingdon Bridge, I hope to get back in a week or so for photos inside the church I found locked so I will take a few more photos of the interesting places in the town. 

 Taking Part in My Little Corner of the World  Our World Tuesday, Imag-in-ing and Through my Lens you can find all the links in the right hand column.