Reading Abbey Today: Encroachment and Restoration
By contrast
there is today an ardent concern to discover and understand
more about the Abbey and to maintain what is left for future
generations. The change in attitude can be traced back to the
last century with the purchase of the Forbury and the Abbey
Ruins by Reading Corporation starting in the 1830s and the
laying out of municipal gardens among them. The building of
St James's Church in 1840 to the north of the site of the
Abbey Church re-established a link with the worship of the
monks and their prime relic, the Hand of St James.
Original
buildings such as the Hospitium and Inner Gateway were
restored by the Corporation rather than demolished. The
interest led to extensive diggings among the ruins in the
middle of the last century to provide occupation for the
unemployed and to discover the layout of foundations and
interesting objects. Sadly, compared to what is expected of
archaeological excavation today, these investigations were
well below acceptable standards; little was recorded of the
discoveries, nothing was kept and it would have been better
if they had never happened.
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A watercolour of the Abbey ruins inscribed 'sketched from
Nature 16th August 1849', by Mary Webster. The recently built
walls of Reading jail can be seen in the background.
(1986.128.1)
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