Exploring Abingdon's Past: 50 Years of AAAHS

Exploring Abingdon's Past: 50 Years of AAAHS

Sessions Gallery, Abingdon Museum

7 July - 23 September 2018

Time: 10am-4pm Tuesday - Sunday / Admission: Free

For fifty years the Abingdon Archaeological and Historical Society has been at the forefront of research into the town’s past. Its members have excavated sites, examined historic buildings, and scoured archives. This exhibition is designed to show visitors what the society has accomplished as they celebrate their fiftieth anniversary. As well as a display of local archaeological finds there are photographs of past digs and activities, a display of from the Abingdon Building and People group, a how and why the society started and a section looking forward at the challenges and opportunities that the proposed expansion of Abingdon will bring.

FAMILY ACTIVITIES Friday 27th July & Saturday 28th July 2018

Be an archaeologist; take part in object sorting in the Kempster Room, and then experience handling real artefacts in the first floor gallery with guidance from Oxford Archaeology, AAAHS members and volunteers. Children can also become archaeologist explorers with the ‘I-spy quiz’, look for bits of broken pot and bones and find out all about them.

These activities are suitable for accompanied children of all ages.

Location: First Floor Gallery and Kempster Room

Times: morning session 10.30 - 12.30pm / afternoon session 1.30pm - 3.30pm

Admission: Free

Other activities available throughout the exhibition are children’s colouring sheets and ‘Abingdon’sHidden Archaeology Trail’. This is for families and adults alike, to venture into Abingdon town centre and visit sites where archaeological discoveries have been made by AAAHS.

SOCIETY’S TALKS 21st July to 29th July 2018

Supporting this exhibition some of our members will be giving talks. They will be giving two identical talks starting at 11.30 am and 1.30 pm and they are Free. No booking is needed but numbers will be limited.

Saturday 21st July ‘MG made in Abingdon: Echoes from the shop floor’- Bob Frampton, First Floor Gallery (37 steps up)

Sunday 22nd and 29th July ‘Discovering and excavating the Abingdon Opthalmosaur’- Jeff Wallis, Second Floor Gallery (90 steps up)

Tuesday 24th July ‘Individual and Corporate Identity’- Jackie Smith, Kempster Room (lift and wheel chair accessible.)

Wednesday 25th July ‘The Medieval Islamic enamelled glass beaker of Lombard Street’- Judy White, First Floor Gallery (37 steps up)

Thursday 26th July ‘The Abingdon Monks’ Map’- Manfred Brod, Kempster Room (lift and wheel chair accessible.)Optional visit to Second Floor Gallery (90 steps up)to see the actual map.

Accessibility: The Kempster Room is located in the museum’s basement and is accessible by steps from the rear of the building, or the lift at the west side of the museum exterior. The basement has wheelchair access.

Acknowledgements: This exhibition has required a considerable amount of work to prepare and was done by the following people: Manfred Brod, Elin Bornemann, Valeria Cambule, Anne Dodd, Elizabeth Drury, Bob Evans, John Foreman, Bob Frampton, Dan Sancisi, Jackie Smith, Andrew Steele, Roger Thomas, Jeff Wallis and Judy White.

We have been supported financially, or by some other means by the following organisations and we wish to especially thank them for their help: Abingdon Town Council, Abingdon County Hall Museum, Penlon, Oxford Archaeology, Oxfordshire Local History Association, Thomas Leach Colour, Heirline Films, and the National Lottery.