Abingdon, England Attractions

Abingdon (pop. 22,000), 6mi/10km south of Oxford, is a charming town on the Thames and formerly the county town of Berkshire, which experienced its heyday during the period of the wool trade. It has a large number of interesting houses and churches, including the old two-story County Hall (1678-82; now a local museum) and the beautiful St Helen's Church (Perpendicular), with a graceful spire, double aisles and elaborately painted paneling (1390) in the Lady Chapel. Many old hospitals from the period 1446-1797 can be visited, including Christ's Hospital, founded in 1553. Abingdon also has some parts left of the once influential Benedictine abbey, which was consecrated in 675 and dissolved in 1538: the Checker Hall (13th century), the Long Gallery (about 1500) and the abbey doorway (1450).

Abingdon has several leisure and recreation facilities -White Horse Leisure and Tennis Centre, Tilsley Park and the Southern Town Park. Each year in October, the centre of town is closed for Ock Street Michaelmas Fair.