About
Abingdon County Hall has dominated the Market Place since it was built between 1678 and 1682, when the town was competing with Reading to be Berkshire's county town. It may have been designed by Sir Christopher Wren, and was certainly built by two men he worked with closely, the mason Christopher Kempster and John Scarborough. Giant Corinthian pilasters rise through both storeys of its limestone walls, and the old courtroom sits on arches above an open market space. Abingdon on Thames Town Council runs it as the town museum. Reviewers single out the friendly, knowledgeable volunteers, the displays on the town's MG car factory, including the last MGB roadster made, and the views over the town from the rooftop, which carries a small extra charge. They also enjoy the tradition of throwing buns from the roof to crowds on royal occasions. There are over 120 steps and no lift to the galleries or roof, and no car park, so use the town centre car parks nearby.
Check today’s timesFrom English Heritage's calendar
- See notice
The museum is open 10am-4pm, Tuesdays to Sundays, throughout the year. The site is also open on bank holidays, except over Christmas and New Year.
Opening times may change at short notice.
Open 10am to 4pm, Tuesday to Sunday, throughout the year, and on bank holidays except over Christmas and New Year.
Run by Abingdon on Thames Town Council for English Heritage. The museum galleries are free to everyone.
Rooftop access is extra: adult £2.00, child £1.00 (ages 6 and over, with an adult), English Heritage members £1.00; the roof may close at short notice in poor weather.
Accessibility: over 120 steps, mostly with a shallow tread. A small lift from street level reaches the cellar, but there is no lift to the gallery or rooftop. Prams and pushchairs can be left in the foyer if there is space.
Parking: no car park; town centre car parks about 90m away, some with two hours free.
Photo: Colin Smith. CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/). Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Abingdon_-_County_Hall_-_geograph.org.uk_-_3101330.jpg. Resized for display.
Reviews & Tips
No reviews yet
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience!
