My plan was to visit somewhere a little bit different and include a few pubs that haven't appeared on the blog before. In fact, I'll wager a couple of these haven't appeared on any blog ever.
I bucked my conventional start to the day by not rocking up at Wetherspoon's at 11am.
Instead, I caught the number 35 bus from Oxford to Abingdon which takes the long way round over the speed bumps of Kennington, taking me to the village of Radley.
Just around the corner from the train station, The Bowyer Arms is a mid-19th century pub that was owned by Morland from 1889 until 1999 when Greene King acquired the Ock Street brewery and their tied houses.
The pub is named after Sir George Bowyer, a barrister and Liberal politician who was born in Radley Hall and would later inherit the family estate.
The astroturf front garden didn't make for a great first impression, although I may not grumble about it if I was in charge of mowing the lawn.
Inside, this is a large open-plan pub where everything looks shiny and recently refurbished.
Two banks of handpumps on the bar served 4 different beers: those below (albeit you'd have to wait patiently for the Speckled Hen while it's "conditioning'), plus a Greene King seasonal around the corner.
The chap in front of me ordered an Abbot and Retired Martin's words of advice - "pint of the last one pulled" - nagged at me, the fear that a couple of days of +30℃ temps would add to cask jeopardy.
As it was, the chap returned his Abbot as "not tasting right", so instead I picked the Greene King 'Hopping Special'. Hoppy, yet not particularly special, but - crucially - in good condition; a decent first beer of the day.
I stuck inside whilst most of the midweek lunchtime custom opted for the rear patio and garden.
Music just a notch too low for me to hear properly; tennis on a the TV screens that you'd struggle to get very far away from; nothing much happened.
As it was, the chap returned his Abbot as "not tasting right", so instead I picked the Greene King 'Hopping Special'. Hoppy, yet not particularly special, but - crucially - in good condition; a decent first beer of the day.
I stuck inside whilst most of the midweek lunchtime custom opted for the rear patio and garden.
Music just a notch too low for me to hear properly; tennis on a the TV screens that you'd struggle to get very far away from; nothing much happened.
I drank up in time to catch the 12:50 bus from close by the pub into Abingdon centre.
Then made my way straight to a new pub...
Then made my way straight to a new pub...
"Pub" in the non-traditional sense, although there are Spoon's buildings that match this for not being especially photogenic.
The square block Croxeter Building houses a gym on the first floor and previously featuring Strattons nightclub beneath. That's been closed since 2012, now given a new lease of life as an unexpected new drinking establishment that'll be handy for those waiting at the nearby bus stops.
It is run by the folks who previously looked after The Grapes, a pub that's presently being refurbished. Which perhaps gives it a ready-made following of half-a-dozen loyal lunchtime customers.
There were two hand pumps on the bar, one turned around and the other serving a most welcome Harvey's 'Sussex Best'.
It came with a generous head and a Red Stripe glass...
There were two hand pumps on the bar, one turned around and the other serving a most welcome Harvey's 'Sussex Best'.
It came with a generous head and a Red Stripe glass...
The jukebox was throwing out some interesting tunes including Maisie Peters, a Dylan sound-a-like, a Franz Ferdinand deep cut, and Bryan Ferry. But one of the fellas sitting at the bar cut Bryan's crooning short when he ambled over to select his own tracks. "Oldies," he informed me as he passed by. Hmmm...oldies from Tarantino movies rather than obscure delights.
Time to leave before Stealers Wheel ineviatbly came on.
I made the short walk to the ancient bridge over the Thames which marks the southern edge of Abingdon town centre and handily has a pub midway along it.
Time to leave before Stealers Wheel ineviatbly came on.
I made the short walk to the ancient bridge over the Thames which marks the southern edge of Abingdon town centre and handily has a pub midway along it.
I've watched the Nags Head go through a few incarnations since my arrival in Oxford and spent several pleasant afternoons in the island beer garden when they've put on small festivals. It used to be a Good Beer Guide mainstay but has dropped out for three of the past four years.
They'd made a ploy to impress those CAMRA folks who like a lot of choice, with an ambitious six different cask ales on the bar - two from Brakspear (whose Pub Co have owned the Nags since 2019), a local Lovebeer 'OG', Tim Taylor Landlord, and - my pick - Thornbridge 'Wild Swan'.
There are several traditional seating sections on the road-level bit of the pub where the bar counter is. Steps down lead to a clearly defined dining area, then doors take you outside across a foot bridge to a wide selection of outdoor tables with riverside views. Even more choice, as I spied a Hook Norton ale on the garden bar.
My 'Wild Swan' was a very light-bodied and light-coloured 3.4% pale ale. Served on good form and ideal for sunny afternoons.
Moving on, I decided to poke my head into the County Hall in the middle of the market place, an impressive building that houses the town museum.
Moving on, I decided to poke my head into the County Hall in the middle of the market place, an impressive building that houses the town museum.
I'm ashamed that I've not been in here before. It's a small but fascinating little museum tracing the extensive history of Abingdon. There's a car from the now-closed MG factory (hang on, how did they get that in there?!) and a few bits of Morland breweriana in a cabinet.
Part with £2 and you'll be allowed out onto the roof where the views over the town are well worth a couple of flights of stairs and a few coins.
Part with £2 and you'll be allowed out onto the roof where the views over the town are well worth a couple of flights of stairs and a few coins.
From a brief cultural diversion to one of Oxfordshire's minor bits of pub heritage.
Right next door to the County Hall is the Punchbowl...
Right next door to the County Hall is the Punchbowl...
My advice would be to skip the basic front bar and enter via the brick alleyway around the side which provides a door into the Oak Room - the bit that causes the heritage interest.
An inn was first recorded on this site in 1775, the atmospheric snug being the bit of the pub which actually feels like it has a bit of history.
You get a chequered carpet, wood panelled walls, a few old brasses and ornaments, and an uneven ceiling of varying height.
The sole customer in the snug, propping up the bar, gave me a hearty welcome and called to the staff to tell them they had a customer.
This is a room with a small 'ring bell for service' counter , unspoilt by any giant beer fonts, although the bright orange clock to the side seems a little out of place.
This is a room with a small 'ring bell for service' counter , unspoilt by any giant beer fonts, although the bright orange clock to the side seems a little out of place.
The real ale choice was Morland 'Original' or Boddington's best bitter.
"Of course, when you say Boddington's what you really mean is a pint of J.W. Lees these days," said my fellow drinker, showing he knows a thing or two.
Not a bad pint at all - probably the best I'd had so far on this day.
Leaving the snug, I continued down East St Helens Street which takes you to the church and a short stretch of riverside road on which you'll find the Old Anchor.
"Of course, when you say Boddington's what you really mean is a pint of J.W. Lees these days," said my fellow drinker, showing he knows a thing or two.
Not a bad pint at all - probably the best I'd had so far on this day.
Leaving the snug, I continued down East St Helens Street which takes you to the church and a short stretch of riverside road on which you'll find the Old Anchor.
Somewhat off the beaten track, this pub struggled for some time until Greene King opted not to renew the license when it expired in 2023. It was nice to see it reopen in the summer of 2025, advertising quiz nights and live music and events which I do hope bring the punters in.
They weren't flocking in at the time I was visiting. I was the only customer other than a lady rushing to the bar to check the parking restrictions on the street outside.
(Ideally: strictly no parking in front of any pub anywhere, cars having spoilt many a pub photo).
The Village People sang "In the Navy" when I arrived - a nautical theme for the Anchor, I guess.
A fairly steep £2.85 brought me a half of the Loose Cannon 'Abingdon Bridge', promptly returned as undrinkable for a no-quibble exchange for an 'Old Speckled Hen'.
The current Old Anchor was opened in 1884 when three houses were remodelled to house it, a previous incarnation of the pub having existed close-by directly on the river.
The main bar and two side rooms have a modern feel to them, but there is a little gem of a seating area to the right, on the way to the patio.
The main bar and two side rooms have a modern feel to them, but there is a little gem of a seating area to the right, on the way to the patio.
Too much of a thoroughfare to be a snug, but containing some marvellous wooden bench seating and flagstone floor.
I was nearing the end of my intinerary of pubs for the day, but was looking forward to the penultimate destination - a one-time community centre that is currently showing the top-score 3 pint pots rating on the CAMRA website.
To get there, I caught an Oxford-bound bus for the 5-minute trip into the greater estates of the town, hopping off at Boundary House, from whe the Croft Bar is a few minutes walk.
I was nearing the end of my intinerary of pubs for the day, but was looking forward to the penultimate destination - a one-time community centre that is currently showing the top-score 3 pint pots rating on the CAMRA website.
To get there, I caught an Oxford-bound bus for the 5-minute trip into the greater estates of the town, hopping off at Boundary House, from whe the Croft Bar is a few minutes walk.
I've passed here before when visiting the nearby GK College Oak, but wasn't convinced it was really open to the public at the time. The Croft started out as a community centre and certainly has a 'club' vibe to it, with function room style furniture and a crowd of folk who all seem to know one another.
There was a no-nonsense cask line-up: trad bitter, big brand golden ale, or the common-round-these-parts Loose Cannon 'Abingdon Bridge'.
I figured I should have something from the Abingdon brewery whilst in town, so handed over my £3.50 (Thursday cask special) for a pint of 'Abingdon Bridge'.
The staff member took my name and phone number for entry into a prize draw for a £50 bar tab. I should really have declined and stayed anonymous, being as a Croft regular really needs to win and enjoy that tab.
The staff member took my name and phone number for entry into a prize draw for a £50 bar tab. I should really have declined and stayed anonymous, being as a Croft regular really needs to win and enjoy that tab.
I took my pint to the cushioned bench seating in the quieter side. Several Killers tracks followed one another on the playlist, there were lots of blokes in shorts, and a future Luke Littler threw darts at a board with a golf course cover over it, making it more colourful and taking away the need for any maths.
Just one more quick beer in the bus stop pub...
Just one more quick beer in the bus stop pub...
I haven't set foot into this Greene King hostelry for quite some time and it looks like they've undergone a big makeover and changed a fair bit in recent years.
There's another MG link here, with the building previously being the home of Cecil Kimber who founded the motor company. It turned into a pub in 1960 in readiness for the big housing estates that would take over adjoining farmland. Abingdon is still expanding to this day, although there isn't a pub in sight to serve any of the 21st century housing developments.
On the bar, if you can make them out hiding behind the hops, were three real ales from Greene King and Sambrook's.
You don't see London-brewer Sambrook's out this way very often, so that's what I ordered. Another beer in decent condition - the vast majority of cellars seemed to have coped with the hot temps fairly well.
Six of Abingdon's eighteen-or-so pubs (depending on how you're counting), plus the Radley outlier covered on this visit.
