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 toppled over.

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Now, thanks to fundraising efforts by St Swithuns Lodge – local Freemasons – a new monk statue has been carved and was lowered into place at the roundabout on Sunday.

A spokesman for the lodge said: “He was very popular amongst the drivers who were pleased the monk was back again.”

The project was organised by Abingdon resident Kenny Moore, who has lived in the town for 50 years after moving there at the age of 14 when his father was posted to the former RAF base.

Mr Moore is also a Berkshire Freemason and a member of St Swithuns Lodge that meets in the town.

The new monk statue (Image: Kenny Moore)

Reflecting on the unveiling, Moore said, “The past eight months I’ve been planning for this day. It’s incredible to think that this piece of English oak has been transformed into something new, but also something so strongly linked with Abingdon.”

The original wooden monk was donated in 2002 by Harry Benford, a local Freemason and owner of the former Abbey Press printers, as a gift to support Abingdon in Bloom.

Over time, the sculpture deteriorated, suffering damage at its base and eventually collapsing, leaving the roundabout without its iconic figure for the past two years.

Moore explained that the inspiration to restore the monk came after hearing a question frequently raised in Masonic meetings: “If your Lodge shut tomorrow, would the community miss you?”

The sentiment prompted members of the lodge to consider how they could contribute more visibly to the local community.

After researching potential artists, Mr Moore commissioned Mike Burgess, an internationally recognised chainsaw artist, to carve a new six-foot oak monk.

Funding was raised through contributions from St Swithuns Lodge, St Swithuns Chapter, Abbey Lodge, and individual members, enabling the project to move forward.

Sourcing a suitable piece of oak proved difficult, and wet weather delayed carving work, pushing the original Christmas installation target back several months.

Local builder Martin Davidson played a crucial role in the project by designing and constructing a custom bracket to mount the sculpture securely above ground level, allowing ventilation and preventing future damage. D

Mr Davidson also stepped in to repair minor damage when the monk fell during transit shortly before delivery.

The finished sculpture was delivered to Sydenhams’ builders’ merchants in Ock Street, before it was installed.

Town mayor Rawda Jehanli has welcomed the arrival of the new monk statue, saying: “It’s lovely that the monk is back where he belongs.”

The application for four Gypsy and Traveller pitches on land at Wattle Cottage Farm by The George at Upton pub on Prospect Road in Upton, near Didcot, has been refused by the Vale of White Horse District Council.

Each pitch would comprise one mobile home and one touring caravan, together with space for parking and manoeuvring, as well as two shipping containers for storage relating to keeping horses.

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It relates to an enforcement investigation launched in June 2024, following the erection of four unauthorised chalet buildings for residential use on the same site.

The land backs on to The George at Upton pub (Image: Google)

The applicant claimed that the chalet buildings are the same as the four mobile homes proposed in the application due to their size, and said they could be moved to specified locations if and when planning permission was granted.

But the council’s planning officers found the structures built on the land were vastly different to mobile homes, as they were constructed on purpose built concrete and brick foundations with in-laid services and are permanent timber structures including verandas, decking and covered porches.

The farmland and equestrian site in Upton has a long planning history related to different uses of the land dating back to 2002.

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Objections were received on the latest application from Upton and Chiltern Parish Councils, and specialist officers for ecology, drainage and landscape.

The Environment Agency objected in principal to the development as the site is in flood zone 3b, a functional floodplain, defined as having a high probability of flooding.

Along with the Joint Oxfordshire Resilience Team and the council’s emergency planner, the agency’s objection said the site is too vulnerable to flooding to make it safe for residential use.

A further 52 objections were received from the public during consultation, quoting a range of issues taken with the plan.

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Concerns included that this new plan was ‘not materially different’ for the similar application refused permission last September, as well as the impact of the proposed use of the site on the ‘character and amenity of the village’.

The council’s planning officer said: “In my opinion, the lack of a five-year supply of gypsy and traveller sites, to which I give significant weight, together with the personal circumstances of the applicant and his family, to which I also attached significant weight, do not outweigh the planning harm of the proposed development.”

The application was refused on the grounds of the harm it would cause to the North Wessex Downs natural landscape and because of flood risk, highway safety, loss of biodiversity, the value of the countryside and the intentional, unauthorised nature of the development.

The incident occurred on Monday, April 6, when police were called at about 4.35am to Tollgate Road in Culham, Abingdon.

Culham Lock car park on the River Thames was cordoned off for most of the day on Monday, with a heavy police presence.

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Manned police cordons were set up around all entry and exit points to the car park, and eyewitnesses say at least four police cars or vans remained there for most of the day, causing serious concern among locals.

Police vehicles and a blue tent were on the scene in Culham Lock car park (Image: Contributed)

Thames Valley Police have now confirmed that a man in his 50s was pronounced dead on the scene.

A spokesperson for the force said: “We were called at around 4.35am on Monday, April 6, to Tollgate Road in Abingdon, following reports of a concern for welfare.

“Emergency services attended but sadly a man aged in his 50s was pronounced deceased at the scene.

“His death is being treated as unexplained, but not suspicious, and a file will be prepared for the coroner.

“His family have been informed and are being supported.”

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One woman who lives in Culham but did not want to be named said it was ‘frightening’ to see such a large police incident in what is usually a ‘quiet’ village.

She saw what was happening in Culham Lock car park at about 3.30pm on Monday, and said: “The incident seemed to be located in the back half of the car park on the left side.

Culham Lock on the River Thames (Image: Rod Allday / Wikimedia Commons)

“There seemed to be a lot of locals stood around staring and the lock keeper was stood with his hands on his head.”

She also reported seeing a recovery van retrieving a black four-by-four from the scene. It is not yet known if this is related to the incident.

Thames Valley Police was approached for comment the morning after the incident, but failed to provide a statement until today (Wednesday, April 8), leaving people ‘worried’.

The eyewitness added: “Not knowing the nature of the incident leaves local people worried, it is such a beautiful public area we use and walk around everyday and now it is making us not want to go down there out of fear of what might occurred. 

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“It has been extremely distressing to my younger sister who couldn’t sleep last night due to being worried and having full sight of what happened.

“When I was walking down, there was full visibility of the scene and police stood around.

“While I understand it is another day on the job for them, it was very distressing to locals who of course rarely if ever experience something like this in somewhere like Culham.”