Abingdon campus

The campus

The centrepiece of the Abingdon Campus is the £1.5m Arts Centre, which was opened in October 2001.

The visually-striking Arts Centre provides the main focus for the study of design, media and the performing arts. It boasts ten purpose-built studios, many of which interconnect to provide maximum flexibility for projects and exhibitions by both students and visiting artists. A versatile theatre space and state-of-the-art computer design and broadcasting technology are also incorporated in the building.

Specialist facilities within the Abingdon Arts Centre include:

• 68-seat capacity performance studio equipped to professional standards which plays host to student shows and performances throughout the year

• expansive media suite with digital and linear editing facilities, film production unit and sound studios, which houses a college radio station

• industry standard 20-unit Apple Mac suite for IT-based art and graphic design

• purpose-built, high-ceilinged drawing and painting studios

• 3D workshop for sculpture, welding, casting and timber work

• photographic darkrooms with links to digital processes

• facilities for relief, intaglio and planographic printing, textiles design and interior design

The Abingdon campus contains many well-equipped classrooms and specialist workshops areas. These include:

• professional beauty therapy salons for students taking Beauty and Complimentary Health courses
• sixth Form Centre

• a commercial travel agency that helps students on Leisure and Tourism courses gain hands-on experience

• sports hall and multigym

• motor vehicle and engineering workshops including welding, electronic, CAD and robotics equipment

• practical childcare room

• science and language laboratories

• IT systems support training area

• Learning Centre with study support facilities.

  
  

  THE TOWN

   

  Abingdon is an historic market town where the River Ock joins the River Thames eight miles south west of Oxford. Considered to be the oldest town in Britain, its long history can be traced back to prehistoric times, spanning invasions by the Romans and the Anglo-Saxon.Abingdon was once the county town of the Royal County of Berkshire. The County Hall, which has been at the heart of the town for 300 years, was described by Pevsner as ‘the grandest town hall in England’ and was built by the master mason who worked with Sir Christopher Wren on the building of St Pauls’ Cathedral. Built as Berkshire's County Assizes Court and market house, the roof is used for historic ‘bun throwings’, staged to mark national and Royal celebrations.

  Today the town offers a wide range of leisure activities and the former County Gaol has been converted into a £10m leisure centre, while the White Horse Leisure and Tennis Centre, which opened in March 2002, is considered to be one of the UK’s finest public sports facilities.