The County Hall
Museum relaunched on 7th July
2012.
See The
New Museum
page for developments while the museum has been closed.
Exhibitions since relaunching:
Exhibitions before relaunching:
THE STAGES OF
ABINGDON: TWENTY-SIX CENTURIES OF A TOWN
15th May - 31st October 2010
This was one of Abingdon County Hall Museum's final
exhibitions before the multi-million pound redevelopment of the
County Hall and the redisplay of the galleries in the Museum.
This exhibition gave visitors an insight into the potential
design ideas for the new permanent display areas planned for the
Sessions Hall gallery.
Telling the story of the last twenty-six
centuries of Abingdon, and demonstrating the town's claim to be
the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in England, there
will be a mixture of historic objects from the collections of
the Museum and Abingdon Town Council. Around these will be
stories, information and images relating to the various
personalities, events and experiences that make Abingdon so
special, both to visitors to the town and its loyal residents.
The
displays themselves will try to give possible ideas of the style
of the state-of-the-art exhibition approach that will be taken
following the Museum's redevelopment. Each part of the
exhibition will follow a different style and this will give the
public an opportunity to voice their own opinions on how they
would like the Museum displays to look following the work.
STUARTS OF ABINGDON 1603
- 1714
15th May - 31st October 2010
This was a brand new exhibition never seen elsewhere,
specifically created for Abingdon museum by Abingdon museum.
This exhibition will bring to
light another important time period of Abingdon history plus
general Stuart history, life and society. This
is a follow up exhibition from the previous Tudor exhibition in
May-September 2009.
The Stuarts are another very important part of British and
Abingdon history from 1603 with the crowning of James I and
ending with the death of Anne of Great Britain in 1714.
The Stuarts continued a time
period of complex history including religious quarrels inherited
from the Tudors, civil war and absolute monarchy, stability of
the country and union of the crowns, execution of a King, exile,
politics, fashion and architecture.
The history of the Stuarts is vast and complex but Abingdon was
very much at the centre of Stuart life.
From these complex times
many fascinating artefacts have survived to tell the story of an
important part of British and Abingdon history.
The
vast majority of artefacts in the exhibition are either from
Abingdon museum or other Abingdon collections and will not have
been seen before, thus giving the public a rare glimpse and
understanding of this time period. The exhibition is focused to
accommodate people of all ages so everyone can benefit including
children.
This exhibition will look at the complex history of the Stuarts
from all angles including prominent people, architecture, civil
war, union of the crowns, food, fashion, religion, children,
politics, Kings, Queens and much more.
ART & ARTISTS OF
ABINGDON
16th January - 9th May
2010
Abingdon has been a home to many artists. It
has also been a muse to many more. This
new exhibition at Abingdon County Hall Museum will give visitors
the opportunity to see various works by artists from the town,
interspersed with views of Abingdon, and its residents, by
artists from
Some of the local artists included in the exhibition are: William Watkin Waite, Oswald Couldrey and James Allen Shuffrey. Other artists who have been inspired by Abingdon include: Albert Newcome, William Blandford Fletcher and JMW Turner. There are a number of local contemporary artists: Katherine Shock, JAX and Peter Bellingham amongst them. This range of artists will provide a wide variety of artistic styles and techniques to be seen, all with links to the town of Abingdon.
THE HISTORY
AND FUTURE OF THE COUNTY HALL - COURTROOM, VENUE, MUSEUM, ICON
11th September - 10th January
2010
The story of this iconic building has been over 300 years in the telling. Completed in 1682, the County Hall in Abingdon has been a courtroom, a venue for plays, penny readings and other events, as well as a home for political debates. Since 1920 it has been the home of Abingdon's museum, with significant collections of geology, archaeology and social history. But most of all it represents the town, indeed leads the town. The County Hall is about to undergo a restoration, a multi-million pound refurbishment that will preserve the quality of this classic building, while truly allowing it to be enjoyed by all walks of life for generations to come.
This exhibition will give visitors the opportunity to look at
the building and its history from a number of different angles. From the times of Assize Sessions and the County Hall's use as a
courtroom, through to the twentieth century change to a museum
space, much of the building's life will be displayed. Alongside
this, an assessment of the architecture will be shown, with
images of external details, internal features, away from regular
public access, and how the design has changed over time. There
will also be various finds on display from the 1950s restoration
as well as archaeological digs in the area surrounding the
County Hall.
The public will also be given the opportunity to view some of the ongoing design work for the planned redevelopment of the County Hall, as well as ideas and images showing how newly opened up and used areas could look. This information will be displayed throughout the exhibition run, giving everyone plenty of time to come and see the work being done.
The County Hall is a vital element of the centre of Abingdon,
physically towering over the Market Place. This exhibition
will show why it is also emotionally important to the residents
of this market town, and has been throughout its life.
THE TUDORS
16th May - 6th September 2009
This new exhibition and has never been seen elsewhere, it
will bring to light an important time period of Abingdon history
and general Tudor history, life and society.
The Tudors are a very important part of British history from
1485 with the crowning of Henry
The history of the Tudors is vast and complex but Abingdon was
very much at the centre of Tudor life and from these ancient
times many fascinating artefacts have survived to tell the story
of a very important part of British history. Many artefacts in
the exhibition are either from Abingdon or the Oxfordshire area
and will not have been seen before at Abingdon museum thus
giving the public a rare glimpse and understanding of this time
period. The exhibition is focused on accommodating people of all
ages so everyone can benefit from it.
This exhibition will look at the rich and complex Tudor history
from all angles including prominent Tudor people, food,
clothing, religion, children, kings and queens, law and much
more.
THE 'SEVENTIES'
EXHIBITION
7th March - 10th May 2009
Having begun it's tour at Oxfordshire Museum at Woodstock, come and welcome the 70's returning back to Abingdon, organised by Hampshire and Oxfordshire County Museum Services. Marvel at the styles and colours of an underappreciated time. Wonder at the designs and technology on offer thirty years ago.
A series of boards displaying timelines and facts, on different aspects of life in the 1970s, from music and sport to television and toys, form the backbone of this exhibition. Around these will be specially produced display cases, containing a variety of period objects, as well as original examples of the fashions of the day.
Reminisce around re-creations of a bedroom, a living room and a kitchen. Sit on the 'sound sofa' and listen to memories of the time. Look at some of the objects and events that made this such an unforgettable decade.
ABINGDON BACK THROUGH TIME
7th March - 10th May 2009
Travel back in time through a variety of historic objects from Abingdon's fascinating past. Starting in the nineteenth century, this exhibition covers some of the most important buildings, institutions, people and events of the town's lifetime. Follow the story of Abingdon right back to the time when dinosaurs stalked the earth, and swam in the seas that existed where Oxfordshire now lies.
This small exhibition will tell the tale of Abingdon's long history, and will potentially act as a spur for a larger, and hopefully permanent, display for visitors to the town, and residents, to learn more about this important human settlement.
More of Abingdon: Past and Present
Abingdon County Hall Museum is proud to be able to sell this volume of photographs of Abingdon's streets, parks and buildings in its shop. Covering the wider environs of the town, this new book expands on its predecessor, 'Abingdon: Past and Present', by providing fascinating comparisons of some of the town's more residential and industrial areas, then and now.
THE RIVER THAMES
REVISITED - IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF HENRY TAUNT
12th November 2008
- 1st March 2009
Henry Taunt (1852-1922) was one of the most prolific photographers of the Victorian age. His favourite subject was the river Thames and Graham Diprose and Jeff Robins have returned to photograph Taunt’s scenes 135 years later. Taken from Henry Taunt’s ‘A New Map of the River Thames’, published in the 1870s, his photographs alongside the superb contemporary images Diprose and Robins have created a fascinating exhibition and book that ‘at once evokes a vanished world and captures the beauty of a timeless landscape’.
WATER ON STILTS:
REFLECTIONS
12th November 2008 - 1st March 2009
Bill Pike’s waterscape paintings capture ‘Optimal visual moments, when the most-beautifully-coloured reflections...combine with intriguing wave-form compositions, and...natural tidal effects, eddying, upwelling and the fluid dynamics of water in motion’.
ANNABELINDA RETROSPECTIVE
6th September - 9th
November 2008
The exhibition takes you through 37 years of unbroken creativity via photographs, sketches, silken fabrics, embroidery samples and publicity artwork. Most wonderful of all is the collection of beautiful clothes, reminiscent of the wings of a butterfly in a difficult fashion world, still beating and still captivating people with their exquisite manufacture.
MG AT SPEED
17th May - 31st August 2008
Racing and Trials
MGs taking part in Trials, or Mudplugging, as it is sometimes called, continue to follow Cecil Kimber’s lead when he took ‘Old Number One’ on the London to Lands end Trial in 1923.
Racing is also in the blood of many MG owners. The pre-war racing heritage was taken up again in 1955 when a team of MGAs took part in the 24 hours of Le Mans. The enthusiasm is still high even throughout the MG’s dormant years.
Record Breaking
The challenge of breaking records was taken up when Austin cars announced their intention to have the first car with a 750cc engine to break 100mph. An M Type MG Midget was hastily prepared to beat them to it, which Capt. George Eyston accomplished in 1931 with the car that became known as the Magic Midget.
The final MG record which still stands in 2008 for a car with a 1500cc engine is 254.91mph in a special designated EX181 powered by a 1506cc Twin Cam engine. This figure co-incidentally is almost the same as Sir Malcolm Cambell achieved in setting the World Land Speed record in 1932 with his massive 1450 hp Bluebird.
Rallying
The Racing heritage of the MG factory in Abingdon made it the obvious place to site the centre for all competition Work in BMC, and The Morley brothers driving an MGA Coupe won the GT category on the Monte Carlo Rally in 1962 and again in 1964 with an MGB GT. BMC cars continued to dominate International Rallying throughout the 1960s with Abingdon prepared Austin-Healeys and Mini Coopers.
THE BOYS' BRIGADE
1883-2008 - 125 YEARS
YOUNG
24th May - 31st August 2008
On the 4th October 1883 at the North Woodside Mission Hall in Glasgow, the first Boys' Brigade Company was formed. It was not realised at the time what this small local uniformed youth organisation would lead to. It was not until 1887 that the Boys' Brigade arrived in Oxford. In that year it was reported that the BB had 14 Companies operating in London and 7 in Oxford. It all started in Oxford at the church of St Peter-le-Bailey now the chapel of St Peters College.
NEW
ACQUISITION - WORKS BY WILLIAM WATKIN WAITE
May 2008
William Watkin Waite was born and spent most of his life in Abingdon. He was of a local family and became an engraver and etcher as well as a miniaturist, exhibiting four miniatures at the Royal Academy. He was twice married, first to Martha Edgington (1788-1821) and then to Virtue Wilkins (1797-1848).
BETTY BLANDINO
HAND BUILT POTS
1st March - 27th
April 2008
Betty Blandino is a nationally known potter with work in many collections including the V&A. She uses the age-old technique of building up pots from coils which she has developed by using a unique coiling and pinching technique to create thin-walled abstract vessel forms. The exhibition included work from the past and present. Some of the works are for sale.
CALLIGRAPHY
1st
March - 27th April 2008
Oxford Scribes formed in 1984 and has grown into one of the country’s largest regional calligraphy groups, including beginners, amateurs, professionals and internationally-recognised lettering artists. Both traditional and modern experimental lettering by individual calligraphers will be on display in 30 cases. There will be original cards for sale.
OCK STREET
REMEMBERED: AN ABINGDON COMMUNITY
12th
January - 27th February 2008
Life in Ock Street, Abingdon, told vividly through its people and their activities, with memorabilia covering the Events, Customs and Traditions, and the Trades, Professions and Businesses of this historic street.
CHRISTMAS
EXHIBITION
December
2007
Our Christmas exhibition this year incorporated a small stage and cafe-style tables. There were Family Friendly activities for children and families every day after Christmas.
“STILL
LIFE IN STITCHES” - A TEXTILE
EXHIBITION
13th
September - 19th November 2007
(Courtesy of the Oxford Embroiderers’ Workshop, joined by the
Young EmbroiderersGroup)
A small selection of our contemporary craft collection and
historic textiles were also on display during this exhibition.
LIVING WATERWAYS
6th July - 9th September 2007
(Loan exhibition
courtesy of the Oxfordshire Museum Service)
Samuel Ireland’s
Engravings of the Thames near Abingdon” (Loan exhibition
courtesy of the Centre for Oxfordshire Studies)
People of
the Thames - A Photographic Journey
(Loan exhibition courtesy
of photographer Jil Orpen and writer Charlotte Gerlings)
ABINGDON FLOWER
FESTIVAL
30th
June 2007 - 1st July 2007
(Courtesy of Abingdon Flower Club)
FROM SHEEP TO SLEEP
- THE WITNEY BLANKET STORY
3rd March 2007 - 24th June 2007
(Loan exhibition courtesy of the Oxfordshire Museum Service)
AN
EXHIBITION OF MATCHBOXES
3rd March - 24th June 2007
(Loan collection courtesy of Jacqui Humphries)
ROCKS AROUND THE CLOCK
6th January - 28th February 2007
Oxfordshire Geology (Loan exhibition
courtesy of the Oxfordshire Geology Trust)
Mary Morland
-
An Abingdon Geologist (Loan collection courtesy of the Oxford
University Museum of Natural History)
