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Situated on the west bank of the River Thames, some seven-miles downstream of the City of Oxford, Abingdon is an important and historic market town. Recent excavations have established that Abingdon is the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in England.
Abingdon town centre contains an attractive and historic blend of buildings and architecture dating from 1100 to the present day. The town’s pedestrian precinct and surrounding streets contain a wide variety of shops, restaurants and public houses, whilst a short walk takes the visitor to the attractive river frontage of the Abbey Meadow or the riverside moorings adjacent to the Abingdon Bridge.

Although no longer in production in Abingdon, the MG sports car was produced here until 1979. Abingdon’s local brewery Morlands (which closed in 1999) commemorated the 50th Anniversary of the MG car factory by brewing a special ale called Old Speckled Hen. The town is now home to many thriving new industries, established on spacious, light industrial estates and science parks, including computing and the manufacture of scientific instruments and cosmetics. Its older industry of printing continues to flourish in the town.

In 1946, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority opened a research establishment at Harwell and many of their staff came to settle in Abingdon. Later, further institutes were founded nearby at Culham Laboratories and recently a European link was forged with the establishment of the Joint European Torus Project (JET) at Culham. The Harwell site also accommodates the Diamond Light Source which is a prestigious new science facility currently being built. The facility, which represents the largest single investment in science by the UK for over 30 years, will ultimately host as many as 40 research stations, supporting the life, physical and environmental sciences. Abingdon has become home for many families working at Harwell and Culham. For both residents and visitors Abingdon is large enough to provide good and varied facilities, but small enough to remain friendly and to retain its special character.

Abingdon’s history is rich and varied. The town grew up outside the gates of the seventh century Abingdon Abbey that, at the time of the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII in 1538, was the sixth richest in Britain. Little of the Abbey remained following dissolution but the town’s prosperity continued with its Monday Market, established well before 1328 and still thriving today. In 2000, a Farmers’ Market was established on the third Monday of each month, and this is proving very popular in and beyond the town. In the Middle Ages Abingdon Market Place, which has recently been subject to a refurbishment and environmental improvement scheme, was the scene of some of the most important fairs in the country. The traditions of past are very much alive today in modern Abingdon as it hosts the annual Michaelmas Fair and, one week later, the Runaway Fair. These have as their origins the methods of hiring and firing labour in the period after the Black Death in 1348. The Michaelmas Fair of today is the longest street fair in Europe. There are other traditions which are important to the town. One of these is that in June each year visitors gather to watch the traditional Morris Men dance the length of Ock Street as they celebrate the election of the “Mayor of Ock Street”.

In 1556, Abingdon received its Borough Charter from Queen Mary Tudor and Philip of Spain. The town’s long history of local government began with the establishment of the Borough Council in that year, and Abingdon became the County town of Berkshire. In 2006, the town celebrated the 450th anniversary of the granting of its first charter. Further details of the story of Abingdon may be found in a new book, “Cameos of Abingdon”. This book includes articles of the town’s history, contributions from clubs and societies and articles on the town’s trading, industrial and educational establishments. The book can be obtained from Abingdon Town Council offices at the Old Abbey House, Abbey Close, Abingdon - price £8.50. The County Assize Courts were held in the magnificent County Hall on the South side of the Market Place until 1869 when they were transferred to Reading, as was the status of ‘County Town’. The roof of this building is the scene for the unusual custom of bun throwing, which started at the Coronation of George III in 1760, and involves the Mayor and Councillors throwing buns to the people in the Market Place below, usually to commemorate royal occasions. This tradition continues to this day, and in 2006 bun throwing took place to celebrate the 450th Anniversary of the granting of the Royal Charter and also for the visit of Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal. As a result of Local Government re-organisation in 1974, Abingdon ceased to be a Municipal Borough. Together with North Berkshire it formed the Vale of White Horse District Council and became part of the County of Oxfordshire.