The Abbey
Reading Abbey was started in 1121 by King Henry I who chose the site
for an abbey. The Church was roughly the same size as Westminster Abbey
or St Paul’s Cathedral and was itself dedicated to the Virgin
Mary and St John the evangelist. The building was in the Norman style
with large pillars and round topped arches. As with most churches, the
plan of the building was in the shape of a cross. Where the arms of
the cross met, a tower (probably with a steeple) rose high into the
air, taller by far than the houses of the town. The outside of the walls
was covered in limestone from France, although poorer English stone
was used where it did not show. Between the outer and the inner wall
a filling of rubble was placed.
The Abbey provided many good things for the town. There was the school,
and also almshouses, where old people
who were poor were allowed to live. Those that were ill could be treated
at the abbey, and food, clothing and money were given to the poor. Fairs
were held in the Forbury three times a year, each one lasting four
days.
The abbey was founded by King Henry I in 1121 who also gave the abbot
(who was in charge) large amounts of land. This land was farmed, so
that over the years the abbey and others like it became very rich indeed.
This was part of the reason for their downfall.
Much later, King Henry VIII decided to dissolve all of the abbeys in
England. Although he was friendly with the last abbot, Reading Abbey
was not left out. In 1539 , Hugh Faringdon, the last abbot was given
an unfair trial and killed in front of the abbey gateway. Henry had
several reasons for dissolving the abbeys. He wanted the money and land
that belonged to them, but he had also argued with the Pope which the
monks in the abbeys looked to as their leader.
Ordinary people not normally allowed beyond the Rood Screen, which was
just beyond the tower, except on special days. The people of Reading
did not normally worship in the Abbey, but in the three town churches,
St Mary’s, St
Giles’ and St Laurence’s.
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