History Talk ‘A Short History of a Long House’
Richard Clarke, a former resident of St Ethelwold’s and until 2026 a trustee, has been fascinated by the history of St Ethelwold’s House (30 East Saint Helen’s Street, Abingdon). Since producing the booklet A Short History of a Long House in conjunction with Adrian Rance-McGregor, one the interviewees in the 2026 history project, Richard has given talks at our Heritage Days in September each year. This is a shortened version of 2024’s talk.
Delving deeper, Richard engaged with Abingdon School to provide work experience places for their 6th Form students. This year, 2026, has been centred around recording the experiences of people connected with St Ethelwold’s House. Students Harry Moore (week 1), Alex Warwick (weeks 2 and 3), and Joe Botha (week 3) have been interviewing on camera some current and former trustees, a long-time supporter and a former pupil of the school the founder of the Fellowship of St Ethelwold, Dorothea Pickering, used to run.
In previous years, Richard supervised two other students, one of whom (Ianto Brewer) examined the era in which 30 East St Helen St was home to a brewery and the other (Oskar Muller) chronicled the Victorian coal age.
A little more about Dorothea Pickering
Dorothea Pickering grew up in Denchworth, a village west of Abingdon, where her father Charles Pickering was vicar.
Dorothea was a constant correspondent throughout her life. This is an example - the reply she received from Rev. John Dixon, the Vicar of Abingdon, in 1966
Dorothea was self sufficient and frugal - she would repair and mend
Dorothea was devoted to her cat Muffie who died on 22nd January, 1966. Her diary entry from that day is below.
