Abingdon - Towns & Villages in Abingdon, Vale of White Horse (2024)

About

The Vale of White Horse is a peaceful and tranquil place that is also a global hot-spot for science and innovation. It has great transport links and is only 60 miles from London. The Vale makes an ideal base for exploring Oxfordshire and the countryside provides great opportunities for walking, cycling and horseriding.

Located six miles south-west of Oxford, the former county town of Berkshire had a slight name change in 2012 to become Abingdon-on-Thames. Best known for MG Car manufacturing, Abingdon is recognised for special architectural merit with some thirty-four 17th century buildings while twenty-two are even older.

Evidence exists of an early Bronze Age settlement which, at over 6,000 years old, makes Abingdon the oldest continuously occupied town in Britain. An Abbey was established in the 7thcentury which was visited by William the Conqueror and his son, the future Henry I, was educated here. By the time of Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries, Abingdon Abbey was the sixth richest in Britain. Parts of the building remain and play an active part in community events.

When the Wilts and Berks Canal opened, Abingdon became a key link between major industrial centres such as Bristol, London, Birmingham and the Black Country. Although abandoned in 1906, a voluntary trust is now working to restore and re-open it. The original Abingdon railway branch line is now a popular cyclepath. Road bridges crossing the rivers’ Thames and Ock are listed as ancient monuments. Abingdon Bridge dates from 1416 and is technically two bridges, linked by Nags Head Island.

The town was granted a market charter in the 13th Century and there is a market each Monday and Farmers' Market on the third Monday in the month. There are riverside parks and gardens, space for angling and leisure facilities for tennis, swimming and boating. Abingdon-on-Thames was one of the first towns to offer widespread free wi-fi access.

Six things to do in Abingdon:

• Walk along the Thames Path National Trail at Abingdon and view historic Abingdon and visit Abingdon Lock. Watch pleasure boats passing through Abingdon Lock – the oldest surviving lock chamber in the UK, and possibly Europe.
• In the Summer, take a cruise on the River Thames with Salters Steamers. A trip to Culham Lock takes 30 minutes and you can either walk back (just over 2 miles) or catch the bus (No. 33 runs hourly). Check the website for scheduled cruises.
• Visit County Hall Museum – one of Abingdon’s oldest and most beautiful buildings re-opening after extensive refurbishment in summer 2012. Exhibits include the last MG manufactured at Abingdon.
• Admire St Helen's Church – with five aisles, England’s second widest church is wider than it is long and has beautiful 14th century painted ceilings.
• Explore the Abbey Buildings - remains of the medieval abbey destroyed by Henry VIII include the 13th century Checker, the Long Gallery and Undercroft.
• Book a visit to the medieval Merchant house –16th century wall paintings, gallery windows, fireplaces and walled garden restored by the Oxford Preservation Trust.
  

Walk along the Thames Path National Trail at Abingdon and view historic Abingdon and visit Abingdon Lock.

1. Abingdon Museum

   The former County Hall for Berkshire dating from 1678, displays and interprets…

   0.05 miles away

2. Abingdon Abbey Buildings

   Abingdon Abbey Buildings are the well-preserved domestic buildings of the Abbey of…

   1.33 miles away

3. Bothy Vineyard

   Six acres of vines set in beautiful sheltered setting. Shop open Friday, Saturday and 1st…

   2.96 miles away

1. Pendon Museum

   Pendon aims to recapture, in detailed and colourful miniature, scenes showing the beauty…

   3.57 miles away

2. Harcourt Arboretum

   No description available

   3.71 miles away

3. Priory Cottages

   Former monastic buildings converted to 2 houses. The south cottage contains the Great…

   4.07 miles away

4. Millets Farm Centre

   Garden centre, farm shop, pick-your-own, trout fishery, munchery, restaurant, picnic area…

   4.16 miles away

5. Venn Mill Garford

   Venn Mill is the only regularly working watermill in the Vale of White Horse. Powered by…

   4.38 miles away

6. Didcot Railway Centre

   Living museum recreating the golden age of the Great Western Railway. Steam locomotives…

   4.44 miles away

7. Project Timescape and Northmoor Trust Estate

   Project Timescape - Education and visitor centre near the Wittenham Clumps. Also…

   5 miles away

8. Isis Ceramics Ltd

   Small craft workshop and showroom producing hand-painted ceramics.

   5.19 miles away

9. Salter Steamers Ltd - Oxford

   We are a family firm that has provided first-class hospitality on the Royal River Thames…

   5.32 miles away

10. Salters Steamers Ltd Boat Sales

    Salter's have been building boats since 1858 and are renowned for producing high quality…

    5.32 miles away

11. Dorchester Abbey

    Large parish church dating from 12C with beautiful windows, architecture, wall paintings,…

    5.36 miles away

12. Salters Steamers Ltd Boat Hire

    Salter's Steamers is a family firm that has provided first-class hospitality on the Royal…

    5.36 miles away

13. Christ Church Picture Gallery

    Christ Church is unique among the Oxford and Cambridge colleges in possessing an…

    5.57 miles away

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