Abingdon’s past uncovered during council car park improvement work

A piece of Abingdon’s rich history has been discovered during preliminary work to improve Cattlemarket car park.

A team of archaeologists led by ADAS, an agricultural and environmental consultancy firm, in consultation with Oxfordshire County Council Archaeological Service, were called by Vale of White Horse District Council to do an archaeological survey ahead of improvement works to the car park.

The site lies in an area of considerable archaeological significance and potential in association with the nearby Abbey Church, and previous archaeological work has found medieval burials and occupation dating from the Iron Age.

The six trenches revealed layers of archaeological deposits dating to the Medieval and Roman periods from pottery recovered in these layers.

Human burials were also found under the car park which are likely associated with other burials previously recorded in the surrounding area.

The structural remains of a stone wall have been identified on the site and further work is being carried out to establish the date of the wall – it is thought that the wall likely corresponds with the location of the former Bell Tower that was recorded in the area.

James McNicoll-Norbury from ADAS said: “The findings are considered to be of high archaeological significance in association with Abbey Church, immediately south of the Site, and the history of Abingdon.  The burials and the walls will be preserved, due to their significance, as part of future development plans for the car park.“

Vale of White Horse District Council, with funding from Thames Water, is making a number of improvements to the car park that will make it easier to use. This includes improving the layout, resurfacing to remove potholes and lighting to help to make the car park safer for all users.  A rain garden is also being installed to help manage rainwater and prevent overwhelming the drains during times of heavy rain.

A rain garden collects water that runs off a car park surface rather than allowing it to pool and overwhelm the drains. The plants and soil then filter the rain resulting in cleaner water going into the water table below. The rain garden will also improve the biodiversity at the car park.

The archaeological finds mean that the timetable for the improvement works will need to be adjusted accordingly, but it is hoped all work will be completed by the end of March 2025.

In the meantime, the council has agreed to temporarily fill the trenches in the northern end of the car park and reopen it for visitors to use during the festive period in the run up to Christmas. Please note this will be a temporary surface.

Councillor Mark Coleman, Vale of White Horse District Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Waste, said: “It’s exciting to discover more about the fascinating history of Abingdon and the Abbey.

“I’m pleased we will be able to preserve the cemetery site and want to praise our officers for being able to open the car park in the run up to Christmas.”