22/07/2026
We’re incredibly excited to announce the start of the conservation and sustainability works at the historic Abingdon Abbey Buildings.
This remarkable Grade I listed complex dates back to the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries and forms one of the most significant surviving parts of the former Benedictine Abingdon Abbey, one of the wealthiest monasteries in England before the Dissolution in 1538. Over the centuries, the buildings have variously served as a treasury, granary, brewery, prison, housing and, since 1953, home to the much-loved Unicorn Theatre.
The last major programme of repair took place in the 1940s and 1950s, when the Friends of Abingdon saved the buildings from demolition. Key works included conserving the medieval structures, reroofing elements of the complex, and creating the Unicorn Theatre.
Now, over 70 years later, we’re proud to be part of the next chapter. This project has been made possible thanks to the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund The National Lottery Heritage Fund Thanks to National Lottery players, conservation of the wonderful Abbey Buildings will improve accessibility and secure their future as a valued community asset for decades to come.
We’re hugely looking forward to working alongside The Friends of Abingdon Abbey Buildings - Venue Hire, Historic Tours & Theatre , Conservation Plus, Purcell , Greenwood Projects , Focus Consultants, TCB Consult, Marbas Group and Martin Thomas Associates on such a prestigious heritage project. Opportunities to work on a site of such historical significance are rare, and it is a genuine privilege to play a role in preserving an important part of England’s heritage.
Here’s to an exciting journey ahead.
