A wooden monk could be seen for many years at the roundabout on the Marcham Road where drivers can access Abingdon Tesco Extra and Fairacres Retail Park.

But last year the statue was removed after it rotted and only a small Buddha statue was left in its place.

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Now a new monk statue has been created by Manchester-based wood carver Mike Burgess, and it is expected to be lowered into place over the Easter weekend.

The return of a monk to the roundabout was the idea of the St Swithuns Lodge of Abingdon Freemasons.

Kenny Moore, a member of the lodge, who has lived in the town for decades, said it was his idea to commission an artist to provide a replacement monk.

He said: “An artist called Mike Burgess from Manchester has created the new monk and the statue is ready and waiting at the moment in Sydenhams’ yard.

“It’s more than 6ft tall, and is solid oak, weighing 600kg.

“The statue cost about £2,000 – the lodge donated some money and there were some individual donations.

“The new monk – it’s an abbot – will be lifted into place on the roundabout over the Easter weekend.”

The new monk statue for Abingdon (Image: Kenny Moore)

For drivers entering the town from the A34 Marcham Interchange, the monk will once again be one of the first things they see.

The first monk statue was installed as part of an advertising campaign in 2002 and became a popular landmark for drivers heading for the A34, or arriving back in town after a break.

The wooden monk was a prominent reminder of an important element of the town’s Christian history – the large abbey which existed until Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries in 1536.

Abingdon town mayor Rawda Jehanli (Image: Abingdon town council)

Town mayor Rawda Jenhanli said she was delighted a monk statue was returning to the roundabout as it would bring the “feelgood factor” and would be a symbol of unity.

She added: “The monk has been missed – it was one of the first things I saw when I first came to Abingdon.

“I’m pleased this community group has funded the the new statue and worked so hard to make this happen.

“I will be there at the roundabout on the date they decide to unveil the new statue.”

Last year, Alastair Fear, whose popular Abingdon Blog has reached its 20th anniversary, revealed the original wooden monk’s “final resting place” to be Boxhill Walk Woods.

The rotting monk after it collapsed (Image: Alastair Fear)

The first monk statue was created for a Britain in Bloom project, commissioned by the town council and sponsored by the Abbey Press. People used to dress it up for festive occasions.

Last year it emerged that the town’s historic Abbey Buildings have won a £4m restoration grant from the National Lottery.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund grant is expected to cover a substantial part of the cost of a once-in-a-generation improvement project.

South Oxfordshire District Council decided the ‘intentional unauthorised development’ of a 12-pitch Traveller site on land south-west of London Road near Tetsworth is not allowed to remain.

A retrospective planning application for the work, which had already taken place on the site, was submitted to the council last September.

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More than 120 objections were submitted to the council during the public consultation, with a further 24 submitted with a petition from Tetsworth Parish Council against its approval.

The ‘unauthorised’ development of the Gypsy and Traveller site near Tetsworth (Image: South Oxfordshire District Council)

Objections were also received from statutory consultees like the highway authority, flood authority, Environment Agency and Natural England and from several of the district council’s own departments.

Officers recommended the application be refused on the grounds of landscape, highways, flooding, contamination, noise and issues around biodiversity.

The application came after the district council had launched an enforcement investigation into the use of the land as a Gypsy and Traveller site without planning permission.

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This unauthorised development included the laying of hard standing, utility pipes and cables, the formation of an access road off the A40 and the use of the land as a residential caravan site.

A total of 12 mobile homes, 12 touring caravans and 12 utility rooms had been set up on the site, for use by 12 families.

Two previous applications for the same development were submitted and refused by the council in 2015 and 2018, and then considered at appeal over eight days at a public inquiry in 2019.

The planning inspector dismissed both appeals.

The divisive movement has been given orders by Oxfordshire County Council to stop placing England and Union Jack flags on lampposts and telegraph poles.

County council leader Liz Leffman said Raise the Colours’ actions are not patriotic as they claim, but are an “act of intimidation and division” within communities.

The Liberal Democrat added: “Our residents report feeling distressed, unwelcome and unsafe in their own neighbourhoods.”

Liz Leffman (Image: Oxfordshire County Council)

Reacting to the banning order, Labour city councillor Anna Railton said she is “pleased” the county council is “now crystal clear on this so this group or similar can’t claim to members of the public they’ve got permission”.

She reiterated her previous point she made earlier that Raise the Colours is “not welcome back to Oxford”.

READ MORE: Raise the Colours given formal notice to stop putting up England flags

Susanna Pressel, an Oxford councillor who was targeted by some members of the group after comments she made criticising them were leaked from a private meeting, said she is “very glad” the county council has issued the formal notice.

Councillor Susanna Pressel (Image: Martin Stott)

“It is long overdue,” the Labour councillor said. “Lampposts are not flag poles. It is quite clear that these illegal flags are designed to intimidate people.

“Oxford and Oxfordshire are proud to be places of sanctuary, where people from elsewhere can come to seek safety. They are welcome here.

“What we don’t want is people coming from elsewhere to stir up division and hatred. That is not welcome here.”

She said people come to Oxford and Oxfordshire to “settle and contribute” and they “appreciate what is special about Britain”.

Group in Headington putting up a flag (Image: Submitted)

Liam Walker, leader of the Oxfordshire Conservative Group, said the issue of council costs to take down flags has not been given enough attention but welcomed the notice after a serious of incidents.

“Reports of intimidation, aggression towards council staff, and unacceptable behaviour towards members of the public are deeply concerning and are not something we condone under any circumstances,” he said.

“Everyone should be able to go about their daily lives without fear of harassment or intimidation. Public servants and residents alike deserve to feel safe in their communities.”

Calum Miller, MP for Bicester and Woodstock, also welcomed the formal notice.

He said: “When flags are put up without consent, across public spaces and in a way that leaves residents feeling intimidated or unwelcome, that is not about community pride. It is about division.

“I have heard from people who are deeply concerned by this and no one should be made to feel unsafe in their own neighbourhood.”