Abingdon-on-Thames, Oxfordshire — A beloved local landmark has returned to Abingdon following months of planning, fundraising, and community collaboration.
On Sunday morning 5 April, the newly carved Abingdon Monk, crafted from English oak, was unveiled on the town’s roundabout, marking the return of a much-missed symbol of Abingdon’s heritage.
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. Kenny is also a Berkshire Freemason and member of St Swithuns Lodge that meets in the town.
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 respected 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 St Swithuns Lodge to consider how they could contribute more visibly to the local community.
After researching potential artists, 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.
Creating the sculpture presented several challenges. Sourcing a suitable piece of oak proved difficult, and poor autumn 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. Davidson also stepped in to repair minor damage when the monk fell during transit shortly before delivery.
The finished sculpture was delivered to Sydenhams, a local independent timber and builders’ merchant, on 26 June before installation.
The Monk is put in his place
The project also captured the imagination of local residents online. When news of the sculpture began circulating on the Abingdon-on-Thames Facebook page, the response from the community was overwhelmingly positive.
Rawda Jehali, Mayor of Abingdon Town, welcomed the return of the statue, saying,
“It’s lovely that the monk is back where he belongs.”
Nowadays Abingdon is in Oxfordshire. But before the boundary changes in the Local Government Act of April 1974 that moved many boundaries across the UK, it wasn’t always so. But Freemasonry, being steeped in history and perhaps stubbornly; never updated boundaries. Hence why with respect to Freemasonry, Abingdon-on-Thames remains where it started, in Berkshire.
Mark Heppelthwaite, Deputy Leader of Berkshire’s Freemasons, added,
“The Abingdon monk is back again. All owing to the Freemasons of Abingdon, who’ve worked so hard to make this happen.”
Thanks to the efforts of local volunteers, Abingdon Freemasons, and skilled craftsmen, the Abingdon Monk once again stands proudly as a symbol of the town’s history and community spirit.
