Kellys_Berks_Bucks&Oxon_1911_0023.jpg

ABINGDON.
21
B E R K S H IR E .
D IR E C T O R Y .]
College, and other benefactors, whose arms, in stained of an elongated quadrangle opening to the street by
«riassr decorate the w indow s; the original charter of iron g a te s ; they are endowed w ith land and m oney
the hospital is also preserved here, and there is a fine (including a sum of ¿1,000 recently given by Mr. W.
oak table, with curiously carved legs: on the south F. Sm ith, of Abingdon) invested in New ¿ 3 Per Cents,
side of the churchyard are eighteen almshouses, rebuilt and producing ¿16 6 9s. yearly.
In 1823 F. Klein bequeathed ¿1,0 32 12s. 4d. for the
irom the funds of the hospital in 1797; these forming
a single block, are of brick, with a projecting centre and poor of Abingdon, now producing ¿ 2 9 13s. 4d. yearly,
open arcades of three lofty arches on each sid e ; the which is distributed in m oney; there are other charities
building is arranged in two storeys, an open balustraded amounting to ¿4 27 17s. yearly for distribution in money
gallery giving access to the rooms on the upper floor; and kind and ¿ 7 9 for apprenticing.
A lbert Park consists of about 15 acres to the north
the almshouse people receive 8s. and the two nurses
respectively 12s. and 10s. 6d. each weekly, and there of the town ; the northern portion is laid out with paths,
.are besides three almshouses for married couples, each well planted with trees and shrubs, and furnished with
receiving 10s. w eekly; the income of the charity, now s e a ts; the remainder serves for purposes of public
.exceeding ¿3,000 a year, provides for various educa­ recreation; and is bounded on the south by a wide road,
tional and charitable o bjects; the mastership of the lined with trees, and now form ing a fine avenue; the
hospital (always regarded as an office of great G ust park was presented by the Governors of Christ a
an d im portance) changes annually, and is usually held Hospital charity in 1864 ; on the north side is a m onu­
ment to H R h ! the Prince Consort, 48 feet high, erected
by the governors in rotation.
. .
The Hospital of St. John the Baptist, originally by subscription, and inaugurated in 1863» on the T er­
erected without the Abbey gate, opposite St. Nicholas centenary of Abingdon School, from a design by Mr.
•church, is said by Leland to have been founded by one Gibbs, of Oxford; it consists of an octangular stone
-of the ab bots; in 1801 it was removed by the Corpora­ base from which rise clustered and banded columns
tion to new buildings situated at the top of the Vine­ supporting an enriched pedestal whereon is placed a
yard ; these are of brick, surrounding three sides of an statue of the Prince, 7 feet in height, attired in the
open courtyard and consist of six d w ellin gs; it was mantle and collar of the Order of the T h is tle ; at the
endowed by Sir John Fountain with the sum of foot of the pedestal are sejant lions supporting shields
¿2,755 2s. ; to the new hospital Bernard Bedwell esq. of the royal arms and those of the Prince, together with
-of London, was a liberal contributor; and in 1826 E. the arms of the borough, C h rist’s Hospital and the
Beasley added ¿600 to its endowm ents; the inmates, Abbey.
-six in number, receive 6s. 6d. per week, and are elected
Fitzharris House, now occupied by John Cobb esq.
by the trustees of the m unicipal charities ; the ancient was in the 16th and 17th centuries the residence of the
hospital now form s part of the municipal buildings.
Bostock fam ily, and subsequently of the Tesdales, being
T w itty’s Hospital, situated on the north side of the then a farm ; although m uch modernized, it still retains
churchyard, and consisting of seven dwellings of brick some interesting portions of the early structure, includ­
in a single block, was erected in 1707 from a sum of ing the basement with its mullioned windows and two
¿1,700 , given by Charles Tw itty, Deputy Auditor of the panelled rooms with richly-carved m antels bearing the
Receipt of the Exchequer, and further endowed with quartered arms of the Bostocks.
¿600 in 1825 by E. Beasley and with other sums given
The parishes comprised within the Municipal Borough
by John Bedwell in 1700, Samuel Cripps in 1819 and by prior to 1894 w e re :— St. Helen W ithin, St. Nicholas
various donors, for the maintenance of three men, three Within, and parts of the parishes of Sutton W ick and
women and one nurse ; the centre is pedimented and Culham, but by “ The Counties of Berks and Oxford
bears
and above is and County Borough of Oxford (Culham &c.) Confirma­
itjars tablets recording
ic w iu m g these benefactions,
... ---------- ---a square glazed lantern, with a gilt vane ; the Hospital tion Order, 1894,” it was provided that the part of the
as under the m anagement of the vicar and church­ parish of Culham situated in the borough of Abingdon
wardens, and the inmates receive about 8s. each weekly. in the County of Berks, should be added to the parish
The Abingdon Joint Hospital for Infectious Diseases of St. Nicholas, in the said borough, and by “ The
was erected in 1900 at a total cost of ¿7,000; in 1905 a County of Berks (Abingdon) Confirmation Order, 1894,”
-new ward block was added at a cost of ¿2,300; there it was provided that the parts of the several parishes
are 32 beds; the number of patients in 1910 was 78.
of St. Helen, St. Nicholas (including th at part of
The Cottage Hospital, in Bath street, was erected in Culham added to it by the before-mentioned Order) and
1885-6 on a site given by the governors of Christ s Sutton W ick, w hich’ are within the Abingdon Urban
Hospital, at a considerable cost, wholly defrayed by the District, should be united together and form one parish,
late J. C. Clarke esq. and is a picturesque gabled to be known by the name of the Parish of Abingdon,
structure of stone with brick dressings, in the English and the parts of the parishes of St. Helen and St.
Dom estic style, from designs by Mr. Charles Bell, Nicholas without the borough should be united and
architect, and is arranged in two storeys ; the principal together form one parish for poor law, school and rating
front faces south and overlooks a pleasant lawn, planted purposes only, and to be known by the name of St.
w ith evergreens and rose tr e e s ; in the wall of the lower Helen Without. The parish consists of the villages of
storey are the four foundation stones, laid respectively Dry Sandford & Shippon and some five houses not
A u g / 11, 1885, by Mrs. J. C. Clarke. Mrs. J. H. Clarke, included in either of these places.
Mrs. Morland and Miss Dodson, and bearing their
The population within the civil parish and m unicipal
names. In 1902 two rooms were added on the upper , borough in 1911 was 6,810. The area is 730 acres of
floor and the operating room enlarged at a cost of | land and 27 of water, and assessable value, ¿2 7 ,719 ;
¿400, as a memorial to Her late M ajesty Queen Vic- j
rateable value, ¿28,070.
t o r ia ; this hospital, m ainly supported by voluntary
The area of St. Helen W ithout parish is 2,739 acres
•contributions, is designed for the benefit of the sick of land and 5 of w ater; assessable value, ¿2,662; rate­
and suffering in the town of Abingdon and the neigh­ able value, ¿3,409; the population in 1902 was 284.
bourhood; the hospital contains 11 beds; the number of ,
Parish Clerks, St. Helen’s, Meaburn T. Tatham esq.
patients in 1910 was 157.
Tom kins’s Almshouses, in Ock street, erected by the N orthcourt; Deputy, Henry K irby, 61 East St. Helen
street; St. Michael, H. PeTrin, 38 Ock stre e t; St.
late B. Tomkins esq. for eight persons who are
Dissenters, are built of brick and form three sides Nicholas, W illiam Jordan, 29 Vineyard.
O F F IC IA L ESTABLISH M ENTS, LO CAL IN STITU TIO N S &c.
Post, M. 0 . & T. & Telephonic Express Delivery Office, j Pillar Box, Market place.— Cleared at 10 & 10.40 a .m .
& i- 4S» 3 -5 » 5 -5°» 6.40, 8.50 & 9.50 p.m. ; S u n d a y s,
H igh street.— Joseph Thomas, postmaster
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day & Good Friday there is only one delivery of
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