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Reading Minster, Berkshire, England in winter.
WALKING READING ABBEY
July 14, 2015
Why has Reading neglected its Abbey? I can’t help but ask myself as I walk the perimeter and gaze, nay, peer hopefully through the fences that keep me (and others) from getting in close to what is left of it. The ruins are mysterious. They sit in the middle of the town of Reading, mostly ignored , surrounded by condos, office blocks, car parks, a library, a church and yet, yet it stays and will not be reduced. Although there is almost no land left on which to stand, on all sides the Abbey is surrounded and all it has left is the few square yards that the flint rubble stands on. No perimeter walls, no memories, no explanations for the most part, just fences and rooks who inhabit the rubble and call to us humans who peer between black rails as if to say, the ruins are good enough for us, we are allowed in, but you, you are not!
I pushed my face against the railings in the small park where the statue “The Robed Figure” stands. A yew tree is between me and the chapter house and the main part of the Abbey. In desperation, I move along and stand on a park bench that is up against the wall between the garden and the Abbey. That was somewhat rewarding, in that I was as close as anybody could be, bending over a wall and leaning into the ruins. The sun shone and the rooks crowed and it felt good. As if good things were about to happen and that Reading was an enriched place where fortunes, and fulfilment, could be found, in amongst the commerce and the divine. They co-exist here. What an achievement! Below a large office block, is the Holy Brook and the Mill Arch, beautiful with no word of explanation as to what was and the importance of its role and just along the Brook, near the Kennet, is the Abbey Wharf, now next to where Reading decided to put their jail. There’s a story here and the disguise it is wearing only makes me happier, looking forward to finding it and telling it.
For now the library is built over the Holy Brook and the Abbot’s House is covered in town houses. St John’s Hospitum seems to have railing around it for building works to the wall of St Lawrence’s church. The Grand Entrance is held up with scaffolding that is ancient and there are explanatory notes about the metal fatigue but no word about why it is not yet fixed! Beyond it is Forbury Gardens, still magnificent and peaceful and what scenes some of the trees have seen, especially the ancient mulberry.
Of the Abbey stone, parts were used elsewhere, such as the font in St James’ church which is carved limestone and some of the pillars in St Mary’s Butts originated from the Abbey debris. There are also capitals in the Reading Museum. Where is the rest? How far did it go? Still the rubble and flint stand in the sun, telling us of ages past and meanings we can only sense.
Lynne Pearl 2015
Addendum: Lottery Heritage funding has been won and more applied for to restore and make the ruins safe. I can’t wait until they’re open to the public again! See here http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/reading-abbey-plans-boosted-grant-8276548
