Abingdon-on-Thames

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Abingdon-on-Thames is in Oxfordshire on the River Thames about 7 miles south of Oxford. Thames at Abingdon - - 405657 - Street Helen's Church and the River Thames at Abingdon

An introduction to Abingdon-on-Thames

Abingdon was the county town of Berkshire until 1870 and became part of Oxfordshire when local government was re-organised in 1974. It is a busy market town with a good choice of shops, pubs and restaurants. It was the home of MG motor cars which used to be built at the MG Works, which is now a business centre. It benefits from being aside the River Thames and having an attractive County Hall. However, Jerome K Jerome in his book Three Men in a Boat described Abingdon as a 'dull market town'. Each year the centre of the town is closed off (twice) for two fairs. The Michaelmas Fair takes place early each Oct (legally the last Monday & Tues before the 11 Oct). Ock Street, High Street and the Market Place are closed off and the fair is thought to be the longest street fair in Europe. In medieval times the fair was intended as a hiring fair for farm workers and these days it's rides, ferris wheels and more traditional fairground rides and stalls. Then follows the unusual tradition a week or so later of the Runaway Fair. A smaller fair and the history of the Runaway Fair was that it provided an opportunity for those who were hired by cruel masters or found poor working conditions from the earlier Michaelmas Fair could "runaway" and find better employment before the winter. The town has a unique historic tradition of Bun Throwing dating back over 400 years. In training it is a bit of a cross between a ceremony and a "bun fight". Held when the Town Council votes to hold one and generally to celebrate a royal occasion. There have been two held in recent years, one to celebrate the 2011 Royal Wedding and another in 2012 to mark the Royal Jubilee. Councillors in full ceremonial robes chuck around 4000 currant buns from the top of County Hall down at the chanting crowds filling the market place below. The buns are specially baked for the occasion with a crown design on the top. The buns are often fought for and preserved by local families and visitors. If your visit happens to be at the same time as a royal occasion check the Town Council Website in case such a rare ceremony has been scheduled.

Travel to Abingdon-on-Thames

By road === The town lies on the A34 primary street (running Winchester (England) | Winchester to Salford via Birmingham). 17 miles south of the town the A34 connects to the M4 motorway (London to Swansea) and 18 miles north of the town the A34 connects to the M40 motorway (London to Birmingham) === By rail

By rail to Oxford and then by bus

Take a bus to Abingdon-on-Thames

The town has many bus services connecting it to Oxford, Didcot and surrounding villages. Details of which bus services stop at which bus stops in the town are published by Oxfordshire Council with bus service and route information at ting.shtml OxonTime

By boat

By Salter's Steamers which sail daily from Folly Bridge in Oxford from May to Sept

By bicycle

National Cycle Route (NCR) 5 National Cycle Route 5 Runs from Reading to Holyhead through Abingdon. Along its route NCR 5 connects to other National and Regional Cycle Routes integrating it into the National Cycle Network. }}* Hanson Way Runs through the town, from Oxford (9 miles) to the North and Didcot (15 miles) to the South (see fordshire/Trails/00-49/OXFOTR0017.pdf Sustrans leaflet for route details).

Getting around

GPS 51.6718|-1.2821|height=400|width=|align=}} The town is small enough to be observed while walking.

Sightseeing Tips

Abbey Ruins, Abingdon - - 14267 - Abbey Ruins Abingdon Abbey, geograph - Abingdon Abbey

Abingdon County Hall Museum Market Place, OX14 3HG 51.670918,-1.278387 ☎ +44 1235 523703 Opening Hours: 10AM Monday - 4PM Free entry to museum, prices for access to the roof are: adults £2.00, children £0.50, concessions £1.00 Abingdon County Hall Museum - DSCN3060-abingdon-market-hall }}
Abingdon Abbey 51.6706,-1.27528 Abingdon Abbey - Abingdon Abbey, geograph Benedictine monastery commonly called Street Mary's Abbey. Of the original Abbey complex, today only Abbey Gateway and the part of the Guildhall and buildings beside the Millstream (the Long Gallery and the Checker and what is now the Unicorn Theatre) survive. The Abbey Church no longer exists other than some archways in ruins that are a folly built in the 1920s.
Pendon Museum - Scale Model Museum - Long Wittenham, Abingdon. OX14 4QD 51.6377,-1.21822 6 miles E of the town ☎ +44 1865 407365 Pendon Museum Pendon's White Horse Hill - }} The JET magnetic fusion experiment in 1991 - JET and the largest operational nuclear fusion reactor in the world, at Culham Science Park
JET Road 8, Culham Science Park, OX14 3DB 51.65921,-1.22626 take the train to Culham station ☎ +44 1235 528822 Opening Hours: Saturday 9:00-12:00, 13:00-16:00; West 18:30-21:30 Free Joint European Torus - The JET magnetic fusion experiment in 1991 - About 4 kilometers south-east of Abingdon, one of mankind's most ambitious scientific experiments is concealed behind fences and tree rows. JET and the largest operational nuclear fusion reactor in the world, has been developed and continuously upgraded since it first reached criticality in 1984. Although it can only sustain fusion of deuterium for a few seconds before it overheats and needs to cool down again, experiments performed here changed the world's perception of nuclear fusion. Open days on Saturdays and open evenings on Wednesday nights are regularly organized, during which visitors get an introduction to fusion technology. A guided tour shows control room, robotics facilities and of course a glimpse of the reactor itself. Not suitable for visitors with limited mobility or pacemakers. You must bring a photo ID, or will be refused entry to the site.

What to do as a Muslim in Abingdon-on-Thames

Michaelmas & Runaway Fairs Market Place & Ock Street 51.6700,-1.2857 Opening Hours: Michaelmas: last Monday & Tues before 11 Oct each year midnight-10PM. Runaway: 1 week later }}
Stonehill Riding School Stonehill Cottage, Stonehill, Drayton, OX14 4AA 51.6566,-1.2984 ☎ +44 1235 529915 }}
Drayton Park Golf Club Steventon Road, Drayton, OX14 4LA 51.6360,-1.3140 ☎ +44 1235 528989 }}
Abingdon Waterways Walk - 8 mile circular walk - £2 An illustrated book contains describes about the places you pass on the way and maps to make the route easy. Available from Mostly Books or The Bookstore in the town. }} === Boating ===
Abingdon Bridge Marine - Day Boat Hire on River Thames - The Bridge off Bridge St, Abingdon, OX14 3HX 51.6685,-1.2796 ☎ +44 1235 521125 Rowing boat: £20 per hours to £100 per day. 6 person motor boat: £35 per hours to £175 per day. Other boats and prices available. Rowing boats & various sizes of day motor boats }}

Muslim Friendly Shopping

Mostly Books 36 Stert Street, OX14 3JP 51.671331,-1.281683 ☎ +44 1235 525880 Opening Hours: from Monday to Saturday 9AM Monday - 5PM Small, friendly, independent bookshop which won Bookshop of the Year award in 2008.
The Bookstore 14 Bury St, Abingdon, OX14 3QT 51.67102,-1.28289 ☎ +44 1235 539200 Opening Hours: from Monday to Saturday 9AM Monday - 5:30PM }} === Supermarkets ===
Waitrose - Supermarket - Abbey Close, Abingdon, OX14 3HL 51.67189,-1.27959 ☎ +44 1235 535003 Opening Hours: 7:30AM Monday - 9PM; Saturday 7:30AM Monday - 8PM; Sunday 10AM Monday - 4PM }}
Tesco - Superstore/supermarket | Marcham Road Abingdon Oxfordshire OX14 1TU 51.66703,-1.30887 By A34 junction for Abingdon ☎ +44 345 677 8994 Opening Hours: Monday 6AM Monday - midnight; Tuesday - Saturday 24 hrs; Sunday 10AM Monday - 4PM Petrol station (different hours). Pharmacy (different hours). ATMs. Wi-Fi.

Halal Restaurants Please be informed that on some destination such as Abingdon-on-Thames we had no local Muslim that has researched some of the area. If you are a Muslim/Muslima and have been to Abingdon-on-Thames or would like to maintain the eHalal Guide to Abingdon-on-Thames, please contact us at guides@ehalal.io and email us your updates.

Ock Mill Beefeater beefeater.co.uk/steak-restaurant/oxford/Ock-Mill-Abingdon Marcham Road, OX14 1AD 51.669501,-1.298689 ☎ +44 1235 554148 }}
Spice Valley 21-27 Ock Street, OX14 5AJ 51.670237,-1.285621 Indian restaurant }}
The Boundary House 69 Oxford Road, OX14 2AA 51.681896,-1.273084 }}
Zabb (Thai) - (Thai) Restaurant - 12 Ock Street, Abingdon, OX14 5BZ 51.67008,-1.28483 ☎ +44 1235 531115 }}
Dil Raj 6 Ock Street, Abingdon., OX14 5AW 51.67011,-1.28440 ☎ +44 235 553305 Opening Hours: Daily noon-2:30PM, 6PM Monday - 11:30PM }}
The Kings Head & Bell - Pub & Restaurant - 10 East Street Helens St, Abingdon, OX14 5EA 51.66951,-1.28183 ☎ +44 1235 525362 Opening Hours: Monday - West noon-11PM; Thursday noon-11:30PM; Friday Saturday noon-12:30AM }}
The Old Anchor - Riverside Pub with food - 1 Street Helens Wharf, Abingdon, OX14 5EN 51.66669,-1.28362 ☎ +44 1235 412669 Opening Hours: Daily noon-late }}
The Brewery Tap - Pub with food - thebrewerytap 40-42 Ock St, Abingdon, OX14 5BZ 51.66928,-1.29336 ☎ +44 1235 521655 Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday 11AM Monday - 11:30PM; F-Sa 11AM Monday - 1AM; Sunday noon-11PM CAMERA regional champion. Food (different hours) }}
The Spread Eagle - Pub (with food) - nicatthespreadeagle 20 Northcourt Road, Abingdon, OX14 1PL 51.68163,-1.27719 1½ miles from town centre ☎ +44 1235 521594 Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday 11AM Monday - 11:30PM; Friday 11AM Monday - midnight; Saturday Sunday 11AM Monday - 11:30PM }}
Throwing Buns 8 Market Place, Abingdon, OX14 3HG 51.66994,-1.28175 ☎ +44 1235 533 656 Opening Hours: from Monday to Saturday 8:30AM Monday - 5PM; Sunday 9AM Monday - 4PM Named after the Abingdon historic tradition of throwing fruit buns from County Hall, }}
Where to stay
* Crown & Thistle Hotel 18 Bridge St, OX14 3HS 51.669586,-1.280497 ☎ +44 1235 522556 }}
Oxford Abingdon Hotel Web: k/ @pillars.co.uk Marcham Road 51.668789,-1.304644 ☎ +44 1235 553456 Check-in: 3PM / Check-out: 11AM £38-110 }}
Abodes of Oxford Bed & Breakfast 6 Blackman Close, Kennington, OX1 5NU 51.720196,-1.246734 in Kennington, 4 miles north of Abingdon ☎ +44 1865 435229 }}
Rowan Guest House 42A Oxford Road, Abingdon, OX14 2DZ 51.6767,-1.2767 ☎ +44 1235 522066 Check-in: 4AM Monday - 8:30AM / Check-out: 10AM Free Wi-Fi. Free on-site parking.
South Howard Bed & Breakfast 22 East Street Helen St, Abingdon, OX14 5EB 51.6683,-1.2823 ☎ +44 1235 550979 £45 single, £65 double. Lower rates for longer stays. Breakfast £10 per person. No breakfast at weekends (but use of shared kitchen). }}