107-598: Abingdon railway station was a station which served the town of Abingdon in Oxfordshire , England until 1963. The station was built by the Abingdon Railway, a short branch line at which Abingdon was the terminus and only stop, although this was operated by the Great Western Railway (GWR) from opening on 2 June 1856. The station and yard were built to the broad gauge on land acquired from
214-602: A Perpendicular gateway and ruins of the mainly Early English prior 's house, the guest house and other fragments. Other remains from the former abbey include the Unicorn Theatre and the Long Gallery, which are still used for plays and functions including an annual craft fair. St. Nicolas' Church , parts of which were built in 1180, is near the museum. Abingdon Bridge over the Thames , near St Helen's Church ,
321-594: A free newspaper , was based in Abingdon for many years and was founded as the South Oxfordshire Courier until its closure in 2018. Local radio and television stations are shared with Oxford , although ITV retains a news gathering centre in nearby Milton Park (formerly having a broadcasting studio in the town) for ITV Meridian . Historically the ITV franchise was ITV Central . Local analogue radio
428-566: A merger of Morris Motors Limited and The Austin Motor Company Limited . Long-time service manager John Thornley took over as general manager, guiding the company through its best years until his retirement in 1969. Under BMC, several MG models were no more than badge-engineered versions of other marques, with the main exception being the small MG sports cars. BMC merged with Jaguar Cars in September 1966, and that December,
535-506: A mix of economic, internal and external politics, the Abingdon factory was shut down on 24 October 1980 as part of the drastic programme of cutbacks necessary to turn BL around after the turbulent times of the 1970s. The last car built there was the MGB, and after the closure of the Abingdon plant, the MG marque was temporarily abandoned, and BL decided that there would be no immediate direct successor to
642-625: A move to larger premises in Bainton Road in September 1925, sharing space with the Morris radiator works. Continuing expansion meant another move in 1927 to a separate factory in Edmund Road, Cowley , Oxford, near the main Morris factory, and for the first time, it was possible to include a production line. In 1928, the company had become large enough to warrant an identity separate from the original Morris Garages, and The M.G. Car Company
749-578: A raised earthwork called a motte surrounded by a protective ditch. There is a Second World War FW3/28A pillbox by the River Ock near Marcham Road. A gaol , built by prisoners of the Napoleonic Wars in 1811, is on the south edge of town next to the Thames . In the 1970s the gaol was converted into a leisure centre . In 2011 the site was developed into residential and commercial premises. According to local legend, prior to its conversion in
856-586: A range of sports cars based on the discontinued Smart Roadster design by DaimlerChrysler . No agreement was reached, which resulted in the AC Cars marque being adopted for the new model, instead. The project appeared dormant by 2009, and was not pursued. On 22 July 2005, Chinese manufacturer Nanjing Automobile Group purchased the rights to the MG marque along with other assets of the MG Rover Group, forming NAC MG UK Limited. In 2007, Nanjing Automobile
963-478: Is Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat). Abingdon was first incorporated as a borough in 1556. The borough covered parts of the parishes of St Helen and St Nicolas ; both parishes also included rural areas beyond the borough boundary. The borough was reformed to become a municipal borough in 1836 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 , which standardised how most boroughs operated across
1070-590: Is a historic market town and civil parish on the River Thames in the Vale of the White Horse district of Oxfordshire , England. The historic county town of Berkshire , the area was occupied from the early to middle Iron Age and the remains of a late Iron Age and Roman defensive enclosure lies below the town centre. Abingdon Abbey was founded around 676, giving its name to the emerging town. In
1177-484: Is an Abingdon tradition that began with the 1761 Coronation of King George III . This longstanding tradition of the town has local dignitaries throwing buns (5,000 buns in 2018) from the roof of the Abingdon County Hall Museum into crowds assembled in the market square below on specific days of celebration (such as royal marriages, coronations and jubilees ). The museum has a collection of
SECTION 10
#17327762079581284-544: Is now part of the civic offices. St. Helen's Church dates from around 1100 and is the second-widest church in England, having five aisles and being 10 feet (3 m) wider than it is long. The tower of St Helen's Church has a modern ring of ten bells, cast by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in 2005 and hung in a new frame with new fittings by White's of Appleton in 2006. Abingdon's county hall by
1391-499: Is now the site of a large Waitrose store and surrounded by a large number of new flats and houses. The corporation was reformed, under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 , but was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972 , which enacted extensive local government reorganisation across England and Wales with effect from 1 April 1974. As a result of this reorganisation, Berkshire County Council's northern boundary
1498-631: Is policed by the successor to Berkshire Constabulary, Thames Valley Police . In 1790 Abingdon Lock was built, replacing navigation via the Swift Ditch . In 1810, the Wilts & Berks Canal opened, linking Abingdon with Semington on the Kennet and Avon Canal . Abingdon became a key link between major industrial centres such as Bristol , London , Birmingham and the Black Country . In 1856
1605-484: Is provided by BBC Radio Oxford , Jack FM , Jack 3 and Heart South (historically 'Fox FM' and later 'Heart Thames Valley'), while the town is also covered by the Oxfordshire DAB multiplex . There was a Six TV local TV channel until 2009 and the town's further education college was the home to That's TV studios for Oxfordshire until it relocated to Oxford Science Park . The Tesco Extra store west of
1712-567: Is technically true—even though their HQ is actually in nearby Milton Park , Milton, they have an Abingdon post code (as does the rest of Milton Park). Penlon Ltd, a medical equipment company, have their premises on the outskirts of Abingdon (their previous site, near the former railway station, has been redeveloped as residential housing). Another major employer is the British head office of the German appliance company Miele . Industrially, Abingdon
1819-507: The Cyberster electric vehicle, which went on sale in 2024. The earliest model, the 1924 MG 14/28 consisted of a new sporting body on a Morris Oxford chassis. This car model continued through several versions following the updates to the Morris. The first car that can be described as a new MG, rather than a modified Morris was the MG 18/80 of 1928, which had a purpose-designed chassis and
1926-840: The Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 2012, the centenary of the end of the World War I in November 2018 and the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 2022. Every October, the Abingdon Michaelmas Fair is run. Extending to the length of a mile, the fair is thought to be the longest and oldest street fair in Europe. It runs through the Market Place, High Street, and Ock Street. The fair
2033-631: The Hellenic League Division One and play at The Armadillo Energy Stadium, and Abingdon Town F.C. , who play at Culham Road. Abingdon Golf Club/North Berks Golf Club (now defunct) was first mentioned in 1876. The club disappeared at the time of the Second World War The Oxford Saints American Football Club play their games in Abingdon at Tilsley Park and are one of the longest-running American Football clubs in
2140-623: The Joint European Torus (JET) fusion research project), Harwell Laboratory , the STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and the new Diamond Light Source synchrotron , which is the largest UK-funded scientific facility to be built for over 40 years. Many inhabitants work in Oxford or commute by rail to London , from nearby Didcot . The Army now occupies Dalton Barracks , which, prior to 1993,
2247-567: The Local Government Act 1972 , which also transferred the town from Berkshire to Oxfordshire. District-level functions passed to the Vale of White Horse District Council. A successor parish covering the area of the former borough was created called Abingdon, with its council taking the name Abingdon Town Council. The parish was formally renamed to Abingdon-on-Thames in 2012. Of the Benedictine Abingdon Abbey there remains
SECTION 20
#17327762079582354-427: The MG car factory, which operated from 1929 to 1980. Abingdon's brewery, Morland , makers of Old Speckled Hen ale, was taken over and closed in 1999; the site of the brewery has been redeveloped into housing. The rock band Radiohead formed in 1985 when its members were studying at Abingdon School , a day and boarding independent secondary school. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 33,130. This
2461-472: The MG Car Club , founded in 1930, is at 11 & 12 Cemetery Road, next to the old factory offices. A police station was built in its place, which was later extended with the addition of more cells, as Oxford 's police station could not be extended further. Abingdon is 9 miles (14 km) south of Oxford , 15 mi (24 km) south-east of Witney and 22 mi (35 km) north of Newbury in
2568-652: The MG TC , MG TD , and MG TF , all of which were based on the pre-war MG TB , and updated with each successive model. MG departed from its earlier line of Y-Type saloons and pre-war designs and released the MGA in 1955. The MGB was released in 1962 to satisfy demand for a more modern and comfortable sports car. In 1965 the fixed head coupé (FHC) followed: the MGB GT . With continual updates, mostly to comply with increasingly stringent United States emissions and safety standards,
2675-589: The Oxford Bus Company , its sister company Thames Travel and smaller independent companies. Abingdon no longer has a rail service. However, in recent years, urban expansion has brought Radley railway station close to the town's northeastern limits. The small, primarily stopping-service, railway stations at Culham and Radley are both just over two miles (3.2 km) from the town centre. Abingdon's eastern ring-road and newest suburbs are connected by footpath and cycleway from Radley. Culham station
2782-651: The Qvale Mangusta and already approved for sale in the United States, formed the basis of the MG XPower SV , an "extreme" V8-engined sports car. It was revealed in 2002 and went on sale in 2004. From its earliest days MGs have been used in competition and from the early 1930s a series of dedicated racing cars such as the 1931 C-Type and 1934 Q-type were made and sold to enthusiasts who received considerable company assistance. This stopped in 1935 when MG
2889-485: The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 . The 1556 charter also catered for the appointment of a town clerk and other officers, and the borough boundaries were described in detail. Later charters, from Elizabeth I , James I , James II , George II and George III , made no considerable change. James II changed the style of the corporation to that of a mayor, twelve aldermen and twelve burgesses . Abingdon became
2996-822: The Rover Group in 1986, ownership of the MG marque passed to British Aerospace in 1988 and then in 1994 to BMW . The MG name was revived for a second time in 1992 with the launch of the MG RV8 , followed by the mid-engined MG F in 1995, which proved to be more successful than the short-lived RV8. BMW sold the business in 2000 and the MG marque passed to the MG Rover Group based in Longbridge, Birmingham . The practice of selling unique MG sports cars alongside badge-engineered models (by now Rovers) continued. The Group went into receivership in 2005 and car production
3103-419: The Wilts & Berks Canal in 1810, Abingdon was on important routes for goods transport. In 1856 the Abingdon Railway opened, linking the town with the Great Western Railway . The canal was abandoned in 1906 but a voluntary trust is now working to restore and re-open it. Abingdon railway station was closed to passengers in September 1963. The line remained open for goods until 1984, its role including serving
3210-467: The county town of Berkshire sometime after receiving its charter in 1556. Assize courts were held in Abingdon from 1570, but in the 17th century it was vying with Reading for county town status. The county hall and court house were built between 1678 and 1682, to assert this status. The building, now the Abingdon County Hall Museum , was reputedly designed by Christopher Kempster , who worked with Sir Christopher Wren . Abingdon borough police
3317-405: The 13th and 14th centuries, Abingdon was an agricultural centre with an extensive trade in wool, alongside weaving and the manufacture of clothing. Charters for the holding of markets and fairs were granted by various monarchs, from Edward I to George II . The town survived the dissolution of the abbey in 1538, and by the 18th and 19th centuries, with the building of Abingdon Lock in 1790 and
Abingdon railway station - Misplaced Pages Continue
3424-488: 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 . The Roysse Room was the site of Abingdon School (then 'Roysse's School') from 1563 until it moved to its current site after an indenture by John Roysse , who had been born and educated in Abingdon before he moved to London . The room
3531-570: The 1974 MGB was the last model made with chrome bumpers due to new United States safety regulations; the 1974½ bore thick black rubber bumpers that some claimed ruined the lines of the car. In 1973, the MGB GT V8 was launched with the ex- Buick Rover V8 engine and was built until 1976. As with the MGB, the Midget design was frequently modified until the Abingdon factory closed in October 1980 and
3638-565: The 2014 Manufacturer's Championship to break Honda's four-year reign. After just three years of competition, the MG6 GT sealed the title by 95 points at the season finale at Brands Hatch. Drivers Plato and Tordoff racked up seven wins and 20 podiums in the 30-race calendar. Plato finished the Driver's Championship in second place, behind Colin Turkington, while Tordoff finished seventh. In 2014,
3745-524: The Abbey was moved. In 1084, William the Conqueror celebrated Easter at the Abbey and it is possible that his son Henry I received some schooling at the abbey. In the 13th and 14th centuries, Abingdon was a flourishing agricultural centre with an extensive trade in wool and a famous weaving and clothing manufacturing industry. The abbot seems to have held a market from very early times and charters for
3852-480: The Abingdon Railway opened, linking the town with the Great Western Railway at Radley . However, Abingdon's failure to engage fully with the railway revolution, accepting only a branch line, sidelined the town in favour of Reading which became the County Town in 1869. The Wilts & Berks Canal was abandoned in 1906 but a voluntary trust is now working to restore and re-open it. Abingdon railway station
3959-679: The Booth Group in 1979 and became Garner Booth. Pittards plc took over Garner Booth in 1987 and became Pittard Garner. It closed the Pavlova works in 1993. Abingdon was originally home to the Morland Brewery , whose most famous ale was Old Speckled Hen , named after an early MG car. Greene King Brewery bought Morland for £182 million in 1999, closed the brewery and moved production to Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk . The site of
4066-519: The Caldecott Road site because of security risks. This period saw the formation of the ill-fated Abingdon Sports Club ; an amalgamation of the town's rugby , cricket and hockey clubs and the bid to establish a sporting centre at Hales Meadow. In a short time the ground was developed and a pavilion erected but the organisation was plagued with financial difficulties and very soon dissolved with hockey disbanding and Abingdon Rugby remaining at
4173-635: The Lee Longlands chain but retains its name) and Mays Carpets (now part of the Carpetright chain and has re-branded accordingly). In the town centre, many independent stores, estate agents and charity shops make up the Bury Street shopping centre as major high street names have chosen to go to other towns. However, a recent renovation has attracted stores such as New Look , Peacocks and WHSmith to open branches. The town centre of Abingdon
4280-486: The Longbridge plant. The company cites "improving production scale efficiencies" as the reason of the plant closure. Since then, MG vehicles had been imported from China into the UK. Since the purchase of the marque, SAIC has designated MG as its main one internationally. The marque has been the largest single-marque car exporter from China since 2019. In 2023, 88 percent of its sales was from outside China. Aside from selling cars designed by parent company SAIC Motor for
4387-459: The MG marque, MG Motor also markets rebadged vehicles from SAIC such as Roewe and Maxus , and from corporate sibling SAIC-GM-Wuling . The most popular MG Motor product in international markets is the MG ZS subcompact SUV, with a cumulative sales of 999,612 units as of December 2023 . It is one of the most exported cars from China. In 2023, MG Motor introduced its first new roadster ,
Abingdon railway station - Misplaced Pages Continue
4494-641: The MG version of the Metro was discontinued in 1990 and the versions of the Maestro and Montego were axed in 1991. The Rover Group revived the two-seater with the MG RV8 in 1992. The all-new MG F went on sale in 1995, becoming the first mass-produced "real" MG sports car since the MGB ceased production in 1980. Following the May 2000 purchase of the MG and Rover marques by the Phoenix Consortium and
4601-468: The MGB or Midget. Between 1982 and 1991, the MG marque used to badge-engineer sportier versions of Austin Rover 's Metro , Maestro , and Montego ranges. The MG marque was not revived in its own right until 1992, with the MG RV8 – an updated MGB Roadster with a Rover V8 engine, which was previewed at the 1992 Birmingham Motor Show, with low-volume production commencing in 1993. After BL became
4708-505: The MGB was produced until 1980. Between 1967 and 1969 a short-lived model called the MGC was released. The MGC was based on the MGB body, but with a larger (and heavier) six-cylinder engine, and somewhat worse handling. MG also began producing the MG Midget in 1961. The Midget was a re-badged and slightly restyled second-generation Austin-Healey Sprite . To the dismay of many enthusiasts,
4815-604: The Mayor and Aldermen of the Borough of Abingdon on 19 March 1856 at a cost of £472. Seven properties were demolished to make way for the station and yard, including the Plough Inn which was subsequently rebuilt at a different location. The approach to the station from Stert Street had gates and no public right of way was allowed. Station facilities consisted of a single platform covered by a timber train shed . A locomotive shed
4922-683: The Pavlova Leather Syndicate from 1860, bought a share in it in 1917–18 and took it over in 1921. In May 1947 at the annual British Industries Fair in Birmingham , Pavlova advertised doe skins, chamois , lambskins and goatskins, much of it as suede , for uses including shoes, gloves and belts. In 1958 Pavlova's site covered 35 acres (14 ha), employed neary 200 people and included a staff sports field. At that time its factory still processed imported skins of sheep, lamb and goat, mainly to make suede. Garner Group took over
5029-594: The UK for 16 years, the MG6 , was launched on 26 June 2011. William Morris 's Morris Garages in Longwall Street , Oxford, was the Oxford agent for his Morris cars. Cecil Kimber joined the dealership as its sales manager in 1921 and was promoted to general manager in 1922. Kimber began promoting sales by producing his own special versions of Morris cars. Debate remains as to when MG car production started, although
5136-572: The UK, founded in 1983. Abingdon is home to Abingdon Rowing Club , with members from 13 to 80 years old. It has had many successes at local and national races, and also holds its own Abingdon Head race in April, one of the main events in the Abingdon Calendar. Its boathouse is on Wilsham Road. Abingdon Amblers changed its name to Abingdon Athletics Club. They train at Tilsley Park and take part in county cross-country leagues. Abingdon RUFC
5243-419: The World Rally championship. Wales Rally GB. The MG British Rally Challenge still runs today despite the liquidation in 2005. In 2004 plans to race in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) with a heavily modified V8 powered ZT supertouring car were cancelled due to MG Rover's liquidation in April 2005. In January 2012, MG Motor announced that it would enter the 2012 British Touring Car Championship through
5350-429: The adjoining Roysse Court. Parts of the Guildhall date back to the 15th century, having been originally part of the Abbey complex. Control of the town council has passed between the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives in recent years. Elections take place every four years. After the 2023 local elections , the political composition of the council was: The incumbent Member of Parliament for Oxford West and Abingdon
5457-404: The brewery has been redeveloped into housing. The Maltings was demolished and is now a mixed residential area and council offices. In 2010, a craft brewery , Loose Cannon, reinstated brewing in the town at the Drayton Road Industrial Estate and sells its beers locally, including on draught at some local pubs . Abingdon is near several major scientific employers: the UKAEA at Culham (including
SECTION 50
#17327762079585564-419: The buns, dried and varnished, dating back to bun-throwings of the 19th century. To date there have been 35 bun-throwing events. Since 2000, there have been bun-throwing ceremonies to commemorate the Millennium , the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 2002, the 450th anniversary of the town's being granted a royal charter in 2006, the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in 2011,
5671-412: The country. The Local Government Act 1894 directed that parishes were no longer allowed to straddle borough boundaries, and so a parish called Abingdon was created covering the same area as the borough, and the parts of the parishes of St Helen and St Nicolas outside the borough boundary were combined into a separate parish called St. Helen Without . The municipal borough was abolished in 1974 under
5778-473: The county, progressing to first-class level and on to international status in the Six Nations Tournament. The Abingdon Sevens traditionally opens the Home Counties' playing season and has attracted sides from throughout the country and beyond. Initiated in 1956 as a one-off tournament to celebrate the town's 400th anniversary of receiving a Royal Charter , it proved so successful that the competition has been held on an annual basis ever since. Several years ago it
5885-459: The early to middle Iron Age and the remains of a late Iron Age defensive enclosure (or oppidum ) lies below the town centre. The oppidum was in use throughout the Roman occupation. A Neolithic causewayed enclosure was found in Abingdon in 1926, dating to the 36th or 37th century BC. Abingdon Abbey was founded in Saxon times , possibly around 676, but its early history is confused by numerous legends, invented to raise its status and explain
5992-423: The endurance race in 2001 and 2002 and quit in 2003. MG Sport+Racing raced in the British Touring Car Championships with the MG ZS between 2001 and 2003 as a factory team. In 2004 WSR raced the MG ZS as a privateer team. After three years without a major sponsor, WSR teamed up with RAC in 2006 and the team was called Team RAC. In 2007 an MG ZR driven by BRC Stars Champion Luke Pinder won class N1 on Britain's round of
6099-514: The first appearance of the traditional vertical MG grille. A smaller car was launched in 1929 with the first of a long line of Midgets starting with the M-Type based on a 1928 Morris Minor chassis. MG established a name for itself in the early days of the sport of international automobile racing. Beginning before and continuing after World War II , MG produced a line of cars known as the T-Series Midgets, which, post-war, were exported worldwide, achieving greater success than expected. These included
6206-417: The first cars, rebodied Morris models that used coachwork from Carbodies of Coventry and known as "Kimber Specials", bore both Morris and MG badges. Reference to MG with the octagon badge appears in an Oxford newspaper from November 1923, and the MG Octagon was registered as a trademark by Morris Garages on 1 May 1924. Morris Garages assembled its cars in premises in Alfred Lane, Oxford. Demand soon caused
6313-425: The flat valley of the Thames on its west (right) bank, where the small river Ock flows in from the Vale of White Horse . It is on the A415 between Witney and Dorchester , adjacent to the A34 trunk road, linking it with the M4 and M40 motorways. The B4017 and A4183 also link the town, both being part of the old A34 and often heavily congested. Local bus services to Oxford and the surrounding areas are run by
6420-446: The former Leyland organisation, which included MG's historical close rival Triumph . Triumph was grouped into BL's Specialist Division, alongside Rover and Jaguar , while MG was retained with the other former BMC marques in the Austin-Morris Division, which otherwise made mass-production family cars. While new Triumph models such as the TR7 and the Dolomite were launched during the 1970s, no new MG models were introduced apart from
6527-409: The forming of the new MG Rover Group , the MG range was expanded in the summer of 2001 with the introduction of three sports models based on the contemporary range of Rover cars. The MG ZR was based on the Rover 25 , the MG ZS on the Rover 45 , and the MG ZT/ZT-T on the Rover 75 . The MG Rover Group purchased Qvale , which had taken over development of the De Tomaso Bigua. This car, renamed
SECTION 60
#17327762079586634-406: The holding of markets and fairs were granted by various sovereigns, from Edward I to George II . In 1337 there was a famous riot in protest at the Abbot's control of this market in which several of the monks were killed. After the abbey's dissolution in 1538, the town sank into decay. In 1556, upon receiving a representation of its pitiable condition, Mary I granted a charter incorporating
6741-404: The increased traffic has driven shoppers away. Redevelopment of the Old Gaol site, most recently a leisure centre , began in 2010. The first stage was demolishing the 1970s additions and swimming pool extension. The Gaol has been converted into luxury flats, shops and restaurants, with access to the riverside. Abingdon has two non-League football teams: Abingdon United F.C. , who compete in
6848-417: The last of the range was made. The badge was also applied to versions of BMC saloons including the BMC ADO16 , (as the MG 1100, 1275 and 1300) which was also available as a Riley , but with the MG pitched as slightly more "sporty". The marque lived on after 1980 under BL , being used on a number of Austin saloons including the Metro , Maestro , and Montego . In New Zealand, the MG badge even appeared on
6955-402: The last of which took place in June 1984. It was also sometimes pressed into service as an overnight stabling point for the Royal Train during royal visits to Oxfordshire, in connection with which the train is known to have stopped at Radley station on at least one occasion. The branch track was lifted in the late 1980s. A fraction of the former railway line is now used for a cyclepath, while
7062-420: The late 1940s. A decision was also taken to return to racing and a team of MGAs was entered in the tragedy-laden 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans race, the best car achieving 12th place. The British Motor Corporation (BMC) competition department was also based at the Abingdon plant, producing many winning rally and race cars, until the Abingdon factory closed and MGB production ceased in the autumn of 1980. Prior to
7169-503: The late 1980s Montego estate, called the MG 2.0 Si Wagon. There was a brief competitive history with a mid-engined, six-cylinder version of the Metro. The MG Metro finished production in 1990 on the launch of a Rover -only model. The MG Maestro and MG Montego remained on sale until 1991, when Rover cut production of these models to concentrate on the more modern 200 Series and 400 Series . High performance Rover Metro, 200 and 400 GTi models had gone on sale in late 1989 and throughout 1990 as
7276-414: The limited-production V8 version of the MGB . While the MG operations was profitable these profits were entirely offset by the huge losses accrued by the rest of the Austin-Morris division and any funding to the Division within BL was allocated to urgently required mass market models, leaving MG with limited resources to develop and maintain its existing model range, which became increasingly outdated. Amidst
7383-409: The local railway stations and Abingdon, run by Oxford Bus Company and its sister company Thames Travel . There are three tiers of local government covering Abingdon, at parish (town), district and county level: Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council, Vale of White Horse District Council , and Oxfordshire County Council . The town council meets at the Guildhall on Bridge Street and has its offices in
7490-412: The main market square , built in 1677–1680 reputedly by Christopher Kempster , stands on columns, leaving the ground floor open for a market and other functions. It was once hailed by Nikolaus Pevsner with the comment "Of the free-standing town halls of England with open ground floors this is the grandest". It now houses the Abingdon County Hall Museum and is run by Historic England . Bun-throwing
7597-444: The new company was named British Motor Holdings (BMH). BMH merged with the Leyland Motor Corporation in 1968 to form British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC). By this point, MG was nothing more than a marque used by BLMC, and from about 1972, the name "M.G. Car Company Limited" ceased to be used. The marque name originated from the initials of Morris Garages, William Morris's private retail sales and service company. The marque
7704-485: The newly established MG KX Momentum Racing team. In its debut season the team ran two MG6s driven by Jason Plato and Andy Neate . Jason ended the season in third place, with the car yet to find its foot in wet conditions. The team returned in 2013 with Sam Tordoff driving, who performed well in his debut year having joined through the KX Academy scheme. Plato once again came third, with Tordoff sixth. MG won
7811-656: The official name of the town to "Abingdon-on-Thames", and the change took effect on 23 February 2012. Sport and recreation facilities include the White Horse Leisure and Tennis Centre, Tilsley Park and the Southern Town Park. Abingdon had four cinemas but all have closed. The last was the Regal, which closed in 1989. It stood derelict for 24 years until it was demolished in 2003 and replaced by housing development, Regal Close. The Unicorn theatre
7918-534: The outbreak of the Second World War , MG was established as one of the most popular brands of sports car in Britain . After the war, the MG factory continued to churn out increasing volumes of popular sports car which were available at competitive prices but the factory closed in October 1980 on the demise of the ageing but still popular MG MGB range, and was demolished within months. The headquarters of
8025-418: The place name. The name seems to mean 'Hill of a man named Æbba, or a woman named Æbbe', possibly the saint to whom St Ebbe's Church in Oxford was dedicated ( Æbbe of Coldingham or a different Æbbe of Oxford ). However, Abingdon stands in a valley and not on a hill. It is thought that the name was first given to a place on Boars Hill above Chilswell , and the name was transferred to its present site when
8132-604: The plate at the nose of the car. A separate M.G. Car Company Limited was incorporated in July 1930. It remained Morris's personal property until 1 July 1935, when he sold it to his holding company, Morris Motors Limited . MG underwent many changes in ownership over the years. Morris's Nuffield Organization merged with Austin to create the British Motor Corporation Limited (BMC) in 1952. Its activities were renamed MG Division of BMC in 1967, and so it
8239-488: The site as tenants to the cricket club. In the mid-1980s a determined effort was made to acquire grounds and a clubhouse dedicated to rugby. In 2022 Abingdon Womens Rugby Club known as “The Albatrosses” was formed and they currently play in the Inner Warrior League. The current base at the town's Southern Sports Park was opened by former Abingdon MP John Patten in 1989. Abingdon has had members representing
8346-551: The station and the adjoining part of the line near the town centre are now occupied by a Waitrose supermarket, parking and other development. The station featured briefly in a 1963 documentary film made for cinematic release, "High, Wide and Faster" (from the Look at Life series), which examined contemporary developments in road, rail, and sea transport. Abingdon, Oxfordshire Abingdon-on-Thames ( / ˈ æ b ɪ ŋ d ən / AB -ing-dən ), commonly known as Abingdon ,
8453-553: The town as a borough , governed by a mayor, two bailiffs , twelve chief burgesses and sixteen secondary burgesses, the mayor to be clerk of the market, coroner and a JP . The present Christ's Hospital originally belonged to the Guild of the Holy Cross , on the dissolution of which Edward VI founded the almshouses instead, under its present name. The borough elected one member of parliament ; this right would continue until
8560-595: The town has seen an influx of young professionals taking residence in the town's many residential areas such as Peachcroft. The town was sometimes historically called "Abingdon-on-Thames", but the official name of the borough (as given in statutes from the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 to the Local Government Act 1972 and all intervening Ordnance Survey maps) was simply "Abingdon". Local councillors voted in November 2011 to change
8667-490: The town is the largest supermarket in Abingdon and has historically been one of the most profitable Tesco stores in the country. Nearby is the Fairacres Retail Park, thought to be the first retail park in the UK and recently redeveloped, which includes Argos , Subway , B & M , Dreams and Pets at Home stores. It originally had two long established Abingdon retailers—Vineys Home Furnishings (now part of
8774-411: The town preceded by the famous Horns of Ock Street , a symbol of Abingdon's Morris Dance troupe. The Friends of Abingdon's Unicorn Theatre, housed in the old Abbey buildings, is the site of first productions of many stage adaptations of Terry Pratchett 's Discworld novels by Stephen Briggs . Old Speckled Hen ale was originally brewed by Morland 's of Abingdon to commemorate the MG factory in
8881-527: The town. It continues to be brewed by Greene King along with several complementary beers. The rock band Radiohead formed at Abingdon School in 1985. Abingdon is twinned with: The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Abingdon-on-Thames . MG (car) MG is a British automotive marque founded by Cecil Kimber in the 1920s, and M.G. Car Company Limited
8988-649: The use of the Toyota Tundra silhouette in the Craftsman Truck Series , MG was reported as the last foreign marque used in NASCAR. It was driven in 1963 by Smokey Cook. In 2001 MG re-launched their motor sport campaign to cover the 24 Hours of Le Mans ( MG-Lola EX257 ), British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) ( MG ZS ), British and World Rally Championships and MG Independent British Rally Championship ( MG ZR ). The Le Mans team failed to win
9095-535: Was 2,504 more than in the 2001 Census total of 30,626, and represented just over 8% growth in the population. A Neolithic stone hand axe was found at Abingdon. Petrological analysis in 1940 identified the stone as epidotised tuff from Stake Pass in the Lake District , 250 mi (400 km) to the north. Stone axes from the same source have been found at Sutton Courtenay , Alvescot , Kencot and Minster Lovell . Abingdon has been occupied from
9202-568: Was a component of the 1968 merger that created British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC). The MG marque continued to be used by the successors of BLMC: British Leyland , the Rover Group and, by the start of 2000, the MG Rover Group , which entered receivership in 2005. The MG marque along with other assets of MG Rover were purchased by Nanjing Automobile Group (which merged into SAIC Motor in 2007). Production of MG vehicles restarted in 2007 in China under Chinese ownership . The first new MG model in
9309-557: Was acquired by another Chinese manufacturer SAIC Motor , and NAC MG UK Limited was renamed MG Motor UK Limited in 2009. Since then, the MG marque has been controlled by SAIC as a division within the company's passenger vehicle branch. The first all-new MG model for 16 years, the MG6 , was officially launched in June 2011, and was assembled in China and in UK at the Longbridge plant . In September 2016, MG Motor ended car production at
9416-550: Was best known for the MG car factory, which opened in 1929. 1,155,032 cars were made at the plant over the next 51 years until British Leyland closed it on 24 October 1980. Subsequent cars sold under the MG brand have since been produced either at Longbridge in Birmingham or at SAIC's factories in China . The company was founded in 1924 and moved its business alongside the Pavlova Leather Factory in 1929. By
9523-464: Was built in 1416 and was widened or altered in 1790, 1828, 1927 and 1929. Abbey Gateway between the Abingdon County Hall Museum and the Guildhall remains a point of local importance. Abingdon has the remains of a motte-and-bailey castle , which can be found to the north of the town centre surrounded by trees within a housing estate. Originally built of wood or stone, it was a fortification on
9630-584: Was built in an area called The Checkers Hall in the ruins of the Abbey buildings and shows plays and films on an irregular basis. In addition, a new cinema, called the Abbey Cinema has been built in one of the Town Council buildings and operates in conjunction with the Regal in Evesham . The local newspapers are The Oxford Times , Oxford Mail and Abingdon Herald . The Oxfordshire Guardian ,
9737-640: Was built on land which was never formally conveyed to the railway, but later acquired by adverse possession . The Abingdon Railway was absorbed by the GWR on 15 August 1904. The line passed on to the Western Region of British Railways on nationalisation in 1948, and was then closed to passengers by the British Railways Board in 1963. The branch continued to be used by freight trains (notably for MG Cars ) and sporadic passenger excursions,
9844-639: Was called "Abingdon Road" when it first opened in 1844, being the nearest station to the town at that time. It was renamed "Culham" when the Abingdon Railway branch line to Abingdon railway station was opened in 1856. That branch line initially connected to the main line at Abingdon Junction , before being extended to Radley station when that opened in 1873. The branch line from Radley to Abingdon closed to passengers in 1963. The nearest major stations with taxi ranks are Oxford (6 miles/9.7 km) and Didcot Parkway (8 miles/13 km). All are managed by Great Western Railway . Frequent express buses operate between
9951-444: Was closed to passengers in September 1963. The line remained open for goods until 1984, including serving the MG car factory, which opened in 1929 and closed in October 1980 as part of a British Leyland rationalisation plan. The nearest railway station is Radley , two miles (3.2 km) away. Much of the original Abingdon branch line is now a cyclepath, whilst the land on which the station stood has been extensively redeveloped, and
10058-568: Was decided to introduce the youngsters of Abingdon to Club Rugby. The Youth Section has 200 playing members from the ages of 6 to 18. In 2013–14 Abingdon RFC's President, Paul Murphy MBE, was also the President of the RFU . Since 2016, Oxford Rugby League have played in Abingdon at Abingdon School 's Tilsley Park . The Pavlova and Gloria leather works were major employers but both are now closed. Alfred Booth and Company of Liverpool traded with
10165-686: Was formally merged with Morris Motors and the Competition Department closed down. A series of experimental cars had also been made allowing Captain George Eyston to take several world speed records. In spite of the formal racing ban, speed record attempts continued with Goldie Gardner exceeding 200 mph (320 km/h) in the 1100 cc EX135 in 1939. After the Second World War record-breaking attempts restarted with 500 cc and 750 cc records being taken in
10272-664: Was formed at the Queens Hotel on 27 February 1931. During the 1930s the club was based at the Queens Hotel and games were played on the Council owned recreation ground at Caldecott Road. Immediately after the Second World War the club moved to outside the RAF camp (now Dalton Barracks ) which offered on-site changing facilities and later a pitch inside the camp. At the start of the Suez Crisis in 1956 play temporarily returned to
10379-555: Was in continuous use, except for the duration of the Second World War , from its inception in 1924 until 2005, and then from 2007 under Chinese ownership. In the beginning, the marque was used predominantly for two-seater sports cars made at the M.G Car Company factory in Abingdon , some 10 miles (16 km) south of Oxford . Following partial nationalisation in 1975, BLMC became British Leyland (later just BL). British Leyland's management and engineering staff were predominantly from
10486-487: Was much reduced and Abingdon's governance was transferred to Oxfordshire , with the town becoming the seat of the new Vale of White Horse District Council, and Abingdon becoming a civil parish with a town council. Since the 1980s, Abingdon has played host to a number of information communication companies, with many based in the town's respective business and science parks. As a consequence, and owing to Abingdon's proximity to academic and scientific institutions in Oxford ,
10593-648: Was originally a hiring fair , designed to allow farmworkers from rural areas to find work in the town following the Black Death in 1348/9. The fair, previously run on the first Monday and Tuesday before 11 October each year, the fair's dates were extended in 2024 to also run one day earlier, from the Sunday to the Monday. The much smaller Runaway Fair is run the Monday following the Michaelmas Fair, and
10700-420: Was renovated in 2012 as part of the council's redevelopment plan, with the 1970s shopping precinct converted to look more modern. The roads around the area have been changed: notably the one-way system around the centre has been partially changed to two-way. While this has slightly reduced traffic within the historic town centre, congestion has greatly increased elsewhere. Local businesses have also complained that
10807-601: Was summarily dismissed. Kimber was tragically killed in the February 1945 King's Cross railway accident . William Morris owned MG personally, and in a re-arrangement of his various personal holdings, he sold MG in 1935 to Morris Motors (itself the leading member of his Morris Organisation, later called the Nuffield Organization ). The M.G. Car Company Limited was absorbed along with Morris into The British Motor Corporation Limited (BMC), created in 1952 as
10914-552: Was suspended on 7 April 2005. As of 2003, the site of the former Abingdon factory was host to McDonald's and the Thames Valley Police with only the former office block still standing. The headquarters of the MG Car Club (established 1930) is situated next door. In 2006, it was reported that an initiative called Project Kimber , led by David James, had entered talks with Nanjing to buy the MG marque to produce
11021-530: Was the Royal Air Force station RAF Abingdon . Abingdon has a business park which has offices for several local, national and international companies including, until recently, Vodafone (acquired as part of its takeover of Mannesmann in 2000) and Northern Rock bank. The Science Park includes the global headquarters of Sophos , an anti-virus company. RM , an educational computing supplier, commonly refer to themselves as being Abingdon-based, which
11128-468: Was the British sports car manufacturer existing between 1930 and 1972 that made the marque well known. Since 2007, the marque is controlled by Chinese state-owned automaker SAIC Motor . MG cars had their roots in a 1920s sales promotion sideline of Morris Garages , a retail sales and service centre in Oxford belonging to William Morris . The business's manager, Cecil Kimber , modified standard production Morris Oxfords and added MG Super Sports to
11235-475: Was the police force responsible for policing the Borough until 1889. It was formed as a result of the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 . The force was amalgamated into the Berkshire Constabulary following the Local Government Act 1888 , which required all boroughs with populations of less than 10,000 to amalgamate their police forces with their adjoining county constabulary. Today, the area
11342-429: Was traditionally for workers who were unsatisfied with their employment after the first week, and sought to "run away" and return to the town to find better job opportunities. Abingdon has a very old and still active Morris dancing tradition, passed on since before the folk dance and song revivals in the 19th century. Every year a Mayor of Ock Street is elected by the inhabitants of Ock Street; he then parades through
11449-519: Was used from March of that year. In October, for the first time, a stand was taken at the London Motor Show . Space soon ran out again, and a search for a permanent home led to the lease of part an old leather factory in Abingdon, Oxfordshire , in 1929. A limited liability company named M.G. Car Company was incorporated on 21 July 1930. Kimber stayed with the company until 1941, when he fell out with Morris over procuring wartime work and
#957042