A group from The Arts Society Abingdon (formerly NADFAS) worked to record the rich artistic heritage of the Church of St Nicolas which stands in the centre of Abingdon-on-Thames, historically the County Town of Berkshire.   It probably dates from before 1184 although a church has stood on its site since the mid-C.7.   It was built by the monks of the mitred Benedictine Abbey of St Mary, adjoining the main entrance gate of the abbey, with the purpose of serving their laymen, servants, tenants and visitors, and is still known as having been the abbey's church, as opposed to a church for the townspeople.

The objective of a Church Record is to produce an inventory, with background information, of the interior of a church and its contents. The group worked in pairs to research and document details of memorials, stonework, metalwork, windows, woodwork, textiles, paintings, libraries and any other miscellaneous objects. A detailed record, including illustrations, is produced according to a prescribed format.

This task which has been completed represents a huge achievement for the team of volunteers and a copy of the Record, printed and bound, awaits presentation to the church.  Additional copies are held by the diocesan or county record office, Victoria and Albert Museum, Church Buildings Council and National Monuments Board. 

As well as forming a heritage archive, the information in Records is used by researchers, insurance companies and the police. To date, around 1,700 such reports have been compiled, each taking around three years to complete.

The group has now disbanded.