Step back in time at Abingdon-on-Thames Heritage Festival

From farming and brewing to atomic research and car manufacturing, this year’s Abingdon-on-Thames Heritage Festival explores the town’s remarkable working history with exhibitions, heritage buildings, walks and family activities.

How did the people of Abingdon-on-Thames make a living 100, 150 or even 200 years ago? From farming and brewing to scientific breakthroughs, this year’s Abingdon-on-Thames Heritage Festival invites visitors to discover the people and industries that shaped one of Oxfordshire’s oldest towns.

Taking place on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September, the festival’s 2026 theme, Agriculture to Atoms, charts Abingdon’s extraordinary transformation from a traditional market town into a centre of innovation and scientific research.

For centuries, agriculture formed the backbone of the local economy, with crops supporting the brewing and malting industries while animal hides supplied thriving leather works. Visitors can discover how local craftspeople and businesses turned these raw materials into products that became synonymous with the town.

The festival also shines a spotlight on the thousands of women employed at Abingdon’s clothing factory, once one of the largest in the country, alongside the printers who produced everything from auction notices to theatre playbills. Exhibitions will also explore how improvements to sanitation, roads and clean water during the Victorian era transformed everyday life for local residents.

The story continues into the 20th century, when nearby Harwell and Culham established the area as a world leader in atomic research and scientific discovery. These pioneering industries attracted thousands of new residents and helped redefine the character of Abingdon for generations to come.

Visitors can explore this fascinating history through exhibitions, displays and archive films at the Guildhall and Unit 25, Bury Street, covering subjects including employment, car manufacturing and everyday life between 1800 and 1960.

Beyond the exhibitions, around 10 historic buildings across the town will open their doors, including several that are rarely accessible to the public. There will also be flower displays from Abingdon Flower Club, exhibitions by local artists, Saxon re-enactments, family activities, museum trails and the ever-popular guided heritage walks on the Sunday.

Whether you’re a lifelong resident or visiting for the first time, the festival offers a fascinating opportunity to uncover the stories of the workers, innovators and communities that helped shape modern Abingdon.

Find the full programme at abingdonheritage.org.uk, with printed leaflets available from early September.

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