Abingdon Rowing Club - Abingdon-on-Thames | UK Rowing Clubs | Row HQ

Abingdon Rowing Club is based on Wilsham Road beside the River Thames in Abingdon-on-Thames. The present club was established in 1958, and its official address is The Boathouse, Wilsham Road, OX14 5LD.

A contemporary Abingdon School record says the club was re-formed in 1958 and that the school loaned boats to help it begin. A secondary club history dates the inaugural meeting to 26 June in the Bear Room at Abingdon Guildhall.

That secondary history records the new club's first competition at St Neots on 2 August 1958. It says the crew won its opening race against Crowland before losing the final to Nottingham University, and that a boathouse was built at the Wilsham Road site in 1965.

The club now has racing and recreational squads rather than separate men's, women's or masters groups. Racing members range from rowers with less than a year's experience to people who have rowed for more than 40 years, with coached double outings at weekends and further sessions on Tuesday and Thursday.

An adult beginner course runs in early summer. New rowers can progress through the recreational squad and then into racing, while the recreational programme provides regular rowing without requiring members to compete. The current membership page says the club does not operate a junior squad.

Abingdon Head was re-established in 1961 and is now an annual upstream time trial over 2,000 metres on the Thames at Abingdon. The club says it is traditionally the final head race of the winter season and can accommodate up to four divisions.

The 2026 Abingdon Head ran in three divisions under British Rowing rules. Its published event information credits cooperation from the Army Rowing Club and Abingdon Sailing Club, and the results are published through the club's event pages.