Caldecott House was opened in 1945 as a Dr Barnardo's Home with Mr. Walter Brampton as superintendent. In March of 1952 Caldecott House became a mixed home. The final curtain was drawn on the 31st August 1971. This was after the last open day which took place on 26th June 1971 commencing at  at 2:30 pm which finished with a dinner dance on the lawn.

Caldecott House had hosted many flower shows and fetes.  Many people in Abingdon would have known Dr Barnardo’s children as classmates and friends.

The summer fete held at Caldecott House  was one of the highlights of Abingdon's year.  Many celebrities officiated including Princess Margaret, Jack Hawkins, Bert Weedon and Sir Edmund Hillary, conqueror of Mt. Everest.  Caldecott House was still in vast grounds and had every kind of sports field, kitchen gardens, horse riding and even a boathouse.

A plaque was placed on the lodge giving the dates from 1948 to 1971.

Some History:

Caldecott House was built in 1738 and demolished in 1972. The original Manor goes back to Saxon and Norman Times.  First mention is made of land being held by Lewin a Goldsmith and Alwead a priest at the time of Edward the Confessor,,,,,,,,,,,. 

A William Birch and his wife lived in the house for 2-3 years around 1757.  Mrs Birch looked after 16 orphans from Thomas Coram’s Foundling Hospital in London, and found them wet nurses in the area. Then we jump to the 1880's when General (then Colonel) Bailie came to Abingdon from Oxford, first renting and afterwards purchasing the Caldecott House estate, on which he had carried out extensive improvements, the gardens and grounds being among the most picturesque in the neighbourhood. Then in 1918 Major-General Douglas Bailie, died.

In 1934 the Bailies inherited an even bigger estate, and sold Caldecott House.  However the General's widow Amy Bailie moved to Wharf House with her daughter Hope, a spinster who will be remembered by many older residents.  She died in 1969.  Caldecott House was then was purchased by a Mrs Boyd and became the short lived Caldecott Hotel because in 1940 it was requisitioned by Bomber Command.

At wars end in 1945 Caldecott House became a Dr Barnardos Home.

In 1972 Caldecott House was demolished and replaced by today's housing estate.