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Reading, the earliest documentation of Reading was in the Saxon Chronicles it as existed since AD 871, the Chronicle reads " Her cuom se here to Readingum on Westseaxe " ( in this year the Danish Army came to Reading in Wessex ), It however is believed that Reading is to have existed since the 6th century.Traditionally accepted as being Saxon for "(Place of) Readda's People", the name may be Celtic Rhydd-Inge or "Ford over the River"
Reading Abbey
Reading Abbey. In 1121 Henry1, built Reading Abbey, as a private mausoleum for his family the Abbey was built to house 100 monks , the first eight monks came from the abbey of Cluny in Burgandy, where the Cluniac order had been founded a reformed branch of the Black Monk or Benedictine Order. The first Abbot was Hugh 1, he was appointed in 1123
Henry 1 granted the Abbey its charter in 1125, this endowed the Abbey with the manors and churches of Reading, the Charter granted specific rights and privileges to the Abbey it monks and servants were exempts from tolls.
The Abbot held the Local Court of justice having jurisdiction in cases of assaults, thefts, murders and breaches of the peace. during Henry III reign Paliments were also held there
Reading Abbey soon became famous only a few years after its foundation, many pilgrims would flock to Reading to wonder and gaze at the splendor and magnificence of the fine new church and to pray in the Church that held the Abbey’s most precious relic, the preserved hand of St. James brought from Germany in 1126 by Henry I daughter the Empress Matilda. Another relic was presented in 1205 by Richard 1 the Head of St. Philip from Constantinoble.
Of the Abbeys hospitality and generosity William Malmesby wrote, "Henry 1, it in a spot calculated for the reception of all who might have the occasion to travel to the more populous cities of England where the placed monks of the Cluniac Order, who are to this day of noble pattern of holiness , an example of unwearied and delightful hospitality"
Not only travelers benefited from the Abbey’s hospitality the poor and the sick alike
received care from the monks, between 1130 and 1135 St. Mary Magdelenes was built as a leper house built to serve as a refuse for these poor unfortunate out casts who suffered from the decese
The Abbey was still under construction 1135 when Henry 1 died whilst on a visit to Normandy , his body embalmed and sewn into a bulls hide and brought back to Reading for burial in the abbey church in January 1136, the Abbey not only served as a mausoleum not only for the king but also for other members of the his family, his widow Adeliza in 1151, William the son of Henry II IN 1156, Reginal Earl of Cornwall 1175 ( son of Henry I, )
In 1164 the Abbey Church was nearing completion, in April of that year it was Consecrated by Thomas the Becket the Archbishop of Canterbury, the church had taken nearly forty years to build, this site is now occupied by Reading Prison and St. James Church and School
By the 14 century Reading Abbey had become one of the wealthiest Monasteries in England, the Abbey was also a major employer of labor and service for the town and locally , weekly markets and fairs were held these provided profits to the monks and lords of Reading
The Abbey was dissolution in 1539 as part of the religious changes by Henry VIII .
The Abbot of Reading Abbey at that time was Hugh Cooke Faringdon, although previously on good terms with Henry VIII and officiating at the obsequies of Henry’s wife
Jane Seymour in 1537, the Abbot found himself Charged with treason, the Abbots trial which was held in Reading took place on the 13 of November 1539 . He was convicted
of treason for denying Royal Supremacy over the English Church, the Abbot was quoted as saying " The King is not the supreme head of the Church of England and I trust to see the Pope bear as great a rule in England as ever he did shortly and I will say mass once every week for him," he was executed publicly the following day on November 14 1539, he was hung drawn and quartered, two other monks John Rugge and John Eynon also where executed on this day as his accomplices
Little remains of the once splendid Abbey, only the Ruins the Abbey Gate and the Abbey Hospital " hospitium or guesthouse " which is next to St Laurences Church
Ancient Churches of Reading
St. Giles , Location, Southampton Street, The Parish Church of St. Giles which was dedicated to St. Giles the Patron Saint of Blacksmiths Beggars and Cripples the church was built round some time in the later part of the twelvth1200 Century, part of the church is believes to have been damaged in the Siege Of Reading in 1543, the church was later restored and enlarged by the Victorian architect Piers St. Aubyn in 1872 at the cost of £12,000
St. Marys Location the Butts , the site of present Church was previously occupied by a Saxon Church, Tradition says St.Birinus founded a small chapel on the site of St.Mary's church in the 7th century. In 979, the church was re-built at the cost was £124 3s 5d in 1551, many of the materials used were taken from the Abbeys remains
St. Laurences Friar Street Old Market Place Junction, was originally built in 1196, it began life as a chapel an oratory for pilgrims arriving in Reading before they proceeded across the court yard to the Abbey’s Great Church, it owed it existence to the Abbey
Greyfriars Friar Street , Church was once part of the Greyfriars Priory a Franciscan Priory which was fully established by 1234, it gave its name to the present day Friar St. , it s purpose was to minister to the poor and the oppressed, the priory was also dissolved in 1538 , the building was used as a Guildhall, in later year s it became a hospital, work house, it eventually became a prison all of whom were fed only bread and water, yet were allowed to beg through the bars from passers-by in 1862 the build was restored preserving the surviving medieval stone work and Architecture
Elizabethan Reading
In 1560 Elizabeth I , Granted Reading with a Royal Charter giving the town greater powersof self government
During her reign Elizabeth I came to Reading several times , the Queen encouraged industry in Reading , she is believed to have promoted the weaving of silk in Reading
with a gift of mulberry tree’s for the cultivation of Silk Worms, Reading and Newbury were principle Cloth producers in is area, Please refer to the John And Francis West Trust
The Clothiers who have conferred lasting benefits from the cloth trade to the Reading in the shape of their Charities are :
Sir Thomas White 1492 - 1566, ( he also founded St. Johns College Oxford ), Sheriff and Lord Mayor
William Laud born in Broad Street Reading in 1573 where the present W.H Smith stands the son of one of Reading's many clothiers and he sent him to Reading School ( he later became the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1633 ) he was executed in 1643 , benefactor to Oxford University and to Reading
John Kendrick 1574 - 1624, John had a prosperous business in Minster Street Reading, with John Kendrick’s death at his house in London he left a fortune of £30,000 ,funds were left to found a work place where the poor could produce fine Quality Cloth the Building was called the Oracle which was built in 1628 and stood on part where the present day Oracle stands, the bricks for the Old Oracle building were made locally in Tilehurst by brickmaker William Brockman the brick-maker supplied 200,000 bricks and 20,000 tiles , the Old Oracle was demolished in 1850,
John Blagrave who lived at Southcote , Southcote lodge was also believed to be the head quarters of the Earl of Essex during the siege of Reading in 1543, lodge which was demolished in 1921, John Bladgrave in 1585 published " The Mathematical Jewel " John Bladgrave is buried inside St. Laurences Church
The Plague - The Black Death
The Plague visited Reading in 1608 when 122 people died in the St. Giles Parish three times the average for the year, also in 1625 and 1638 when 297 people died, special
Pest houses on Whitley Hill Conduit Close of Whitley Street to isolated the victims , the plague was brought by the black rat
No treatment of course was available, searchers were employed and paid quite highly for this task to examine the dead if confirm caused by the plague relatives of the deceased and the sick were isolated to their houses , Isolation lasted about five weeks, during this time watchmen would deliver food and make sure they did not escape their isolation
During this time those who were able would move to the purer air of the country, visitors and goods were also forbidden from outside the town, the cost many peoples those that lived suffered increased taxation to fund the live the living also of life was one
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