About Abbey Meadows Outdoor Pool
The Abbey Meadows Outdoor Pool is an open-air swimming pool in Abingdon. The venue also offers heated outdoor pools, crazy golf and a play area.
The newly renovated pool is heated to make every swim for all, an enjoyable experience, whatever the weather.
The centre offers both lane swimming and ‘swim for all’ sessions, ensuring that there is a swim session for all ages and abilities for fun and fitness.
Families love the Better which provides a safe environment for youngsters to enjoy water fun on a hot day. Parents can relax at the side and watch as the kids run around the spray fountains.
The Abbey Meadows Outdoor Pool is a fully accessible facility, with ramp access, disabled parking and toilet facilities.
The heated open-air pool at Abbey Meadow is managed for the Vale of White Horse District Council by Better.
History of Abbey Meadows Outdoor Pool
There has been an open-air pool in Abingdon since the 1880s. The first was a simple bathing place on the island between the weirs, and records show that the head bathing attendant was paid 19/6d per week – plus 5% commission on the sale of tickets ‑ per week.
Later, the attendant was also responsible for running a chain ferry across the Thames. Swimmers could take the ferry across to the island, where there was a bathing platform and a row of wooden changing rooms. In the late 1940s the original bathing place fell into disuse and a bay near the site of the current pool was fenced off for swimming.
The present pool was dug in the 1950s. Initially, it was a cold water pool (it was not heated until the 1970s) but despite this, it was used by town schools for children’s swimming lessons until 1976, when the Old Gaol leisure centre opened.
Getting there
By bus
Bus routes 41, 42, 43 on Mondays to Saturdays except for Public Holidays.
By bike
Bike storage available for 12 bicycles.
By car
Pay and display car parking is available with 40 total spaces available of which 6 are disabled spaces.
