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 What's On
Abingdon Open Day
Saturday 13th September
Mystery House
A chance to help uncover the history of this house in East St
Helen Street.
55 East St Helen Street is the southern part of a timber-framed
and longwall jettied building whose age and original purpose
remains a mystery. From the style of the carpenters' assembly
marks and other roof features it probably dates from the 16th
century, but the form of the clasped-purlin roof is unusual. It
comprised a passage entry with a large room at the front, but
the fireplaces and stairs of that period do not survive. In the
18th century it was 'modernised' with new casement
windows, panelling and a sitting room was created upstairs with
a new fire surround. A lean-to kitchen was added in the 19th
century.
The house belonged to Christ’s Hospital until 1922. Occupiers
included labourers and it was a lodging house and a shop in the
19th century. Tom Buckle and his family lived here from 1905 to
1952. Bishop Colin Winter lived here from 1979 to 1986 when in
exile from Damaraland in Southern Africa.
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