Abingdon

Abingdon
/ab"ing deuhn/, n.
a town in S Oxfordshire, in S England, on the Thames: site of Benedictine abbey founded 7th century A.D. 18,596.

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      town (“parish”), Vale of White Horse district, administrative county of Oxfordshire, historic county of Berkshire, England. It lies south of Oxford at the confluence of the Rivers Thames and Ock.

      The town was founded by the Saxons and grew up around a Benedictine abbey established in 676. In 1556, after the abbey had been dissolved, Abingdon was granted its first royal charter. The abbey remains include a Perpendicular gateway and the restored Checker Hall, now used as an Elizabethan-style theatre. The arched bridge over the Thames (1416; widened 1929) provides a view of the Early English tower and Perpendicular spire of St. Helen's Church. The county hall (1677–80) houses a museum collection. St. Nicholas' Church, the west front of which was built in 1180, stands nearby. Schools in the town include Abingdon (Roysse's) School—one of the oldest public (independent) schools in England—and Radley College (1847). The town also has a number of light industries and is a popular Thames-side resort. Pop. (2001) 36,010.

      town, seat (1778) of Washington county, southwestern Virginia, U.S. It lies in the Blue Ridge highlands of the Appalachian Mountains, near the border with Tennessee, 15 miles (24 km) northeast of Bristol. Originally called “Wolf Hills” by frontiersman Daniel Boone (Boone, Daniel) as he passed through the area in 1760, it was the site of Black's Fort (1774), a settlers' haven from attacks by the Cherokee. It was incorporated as Abingdon in 1778; the name has been variously attributed to Lord Abingdon, Daniel Boone's home in Pennsylvania, and Martha Washington's hometown. During the American Civil War it suffered severely at the hands of Union troops under General George Stoneman.

      A resort town, Abingdon is also the state's largest burley tobacco market, and it holds livestock auctions. It is well known for its handicrafts and chinaware. The town is home to Barter Theatre (established 1933), the oldest and longest-running repertory theatre in the country. Virginia Highlands Community College was founded there in 1967. Nearby is Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. Pop. (1990) 7,003; (2000) 7,780.

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  • Abingdon — may refer to the following places:In Australia : * Abingdon, Queensland or Abingdon Downs a place [http://www.glosk.com/AS/Abingdon/ 2213074/gmap pt.htm] in Northern Queensland, with an IATA code for an airport (ABG),In England: *Abingdon,… …   Wikipedia

  • Abingdon — …   Wikipedia Español

  • Abingdon — ist der Name mehrerer Orte: in Australien: Abingdon (Queensland) in England: Abingdon (Oxfordshire) in Kanada: Abingdon (Ontario) in den Vereinigten Staaten: Abingdon (Illinois) Abingdon (Iowa) Abingdon (Maryland) Abingdon (North Carolina)… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Abingdon — Abingdon, IL U.S. city in Illinois Population (2000): 3612 Housing Units (2000): 1535 Land area (2000): 1.459322 sq. miles (3.779626 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 1.459322 sq. miles (3.779626… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Abingdon —   [ æbɪȖdn], im 7. Jahrhundert gegründete Benediktinerabtei am Ufer der Themse (County Berkshire); im 10. Jahrhundert nach der Zerstörung durch die Dänen neu errichtet. Unter Abt Aethelwold stand Abingdon im Brennpunkt der englischen… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Abingdon, IL — U.S. city in Illinois Population (2000): 3612 Housing Units (2000): 1535 Land area (2000): 1.459322 sq. miles (3.779626 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 1.459322 sq. miles (3.779626 sq. km) FIPS… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Abingdon, VA — U.S. town in Virginia Population (2000): 7780 Housing Units (2000): 3788 Land area (2000): 8.341865 sq. miles (21.605329 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 8.341865 sq. miles (21.605329 sq. km) FIPS …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Abingdon — (spr. Äbbingd n), 1) im Alterthum Abinta, Burgflecken an der Themse in der engl. Grafschaft Berks, Fabriken in Segeltuch u. Wollenzeugen, 5600 Ew.; von ihr führen die Grafen von A. den Namen; 2) Orte in Maryland u. Massachusets (Nordamerika); 3)… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Abingdon — (spr. Abbingdn), auch Hauptstadt des Cantons) Washington in Virginien (Nordamerika), hat 6 Kirchen, 2 Akademien, 2 Druckereien u. bedeutende Ledermanufactur; 1500 Ew. Außerdem mehre andere Orte in den Vereinigten Staaten …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Abingdon — (spr. äbbingd n), Stadt (municipal borough) in Berkshire (England), 7 km von Oxford, bei der Mündung des Ock und des Berk und Wiltshirekanals in die Themse, hat mehrere Kirchen (St. Nicholas und St. Helen), eine Lateinschule, Markthalle,… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Abingdon — (spr. äbbĭngd n), Stadt in der engl. Grafsch. Berks, an der Themse, (1901) 6480 E …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

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