History of Reading, England

Questions and Answers

What is the name of the Lion that commemorates the fallen men of the 66th, the Berkshire Regiment?

The Reading Lion

The Berkshire Lion

The Forbury Lion

The Maiwand Lion (correct)

Which king founded the Abbey in Reading?

Edward I

Henry I (correct)

Henry VIII

William I

What was the primary reason for Reading's prosperity in the 14th century?

The Wool Trade (correct)

The Cloth Trade

The Fishing Industry

The Abbey's influence

What event in 1525 made Reading the largest town in Berkshire?

The Wool Trade Signup and view all the answers

What was the approximate population of Reading in 1611?

5000 people Signup and view all the answers

The ______ Book records Reading as being a typical small town until the founding of the Abbey in 1121.

Domesday Signup and view all the answers

The Abbey was founded by ______ I who is buried within the Abbey grounds.

Henry Signup and view all the answers

During the 14th century the ______ Death swept through England decimating the population.

Black Signup and view all the answers

In 1628 The ______ was one of the earliest workhouses built in the country.

Oracle Signup and view all the answers

The current Reading prison was built to a design by ______ Gilbert Scott.

George Signup and view all the answers

The first execution at Reading prison was carried out in front of a crowd of ______ in 1845.

10,000 Signup and view all the answers

The prisoners at the earlier gaol in Castle Street were chained in the underground ______.

dungeon Signup and view all the answers

Oscar Wilde was imprisoned in ______ and upon his release in May 1897.

1895 Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

The History of Reading

The Maiwand Lion in Forbury Gardens is the unofficial symbol of Reading, commemorating the fallen men of the 66th, the Berkshire Regiment at the Battle of Maiwand in 1880.

The Development of Reading

Reading was a typical small town until the founding of the Abbey in 1121, which changed the town's fortunes.
The Abbey was founded by Henry I, who is buried within the Abbey grounds.
The Wool Trade contributed to the town's prosperity.

The Abbey's Demise

The Abbey was predominantly destroyed in 1538 during Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries.

Reading During the Middle Ages

The Black Death swept through England in the 14th century, decimating the population.

Reading's Growth and Prosperity

By 1525, Reading was the largest town in Berkshire.
By 1611, the population of Reading was over 5000 people, having become prosperous from its trade in cloth.

History of Reading

The Maiwand Lion in Forbury Gardens commemorates the fallen men of the 66th Berkshire Regiment at the Battle of Maiwand in 1880.
The Domesday Book records Reading as a small town until the founding of the Abbey in 1121, which brought prosperity through the Wool Trade.
The Abbey was founded by Henry I, who is buried within the Abbey grounds, but was largely destroyed in 1538 during Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries.

14th-17th Centuries

The Black Death swept through England in the 14th century, decimating the population.
By 1525, Reading was the largest town in Berkshire, and by 1611, the population had increased to over 5,000 people, driven by the cloth trade.

The Oracle and Reading Prison

The Oracle was one of the earliest workhouses built in the country (1628) and produced cloth.
The current Reading Prison was built in 1844, designed by George Gilbert Scott, and was a site for executions until 1913.
There was an earlier gaol in Castle Street, in use from the Stuart period, where prisoners were chained in underground dungeons.

Notable Inmates and Landmarks

Oscar Wilde was imprisoned in Reading Prison in 1895 and released in May 1897.
The George on Kings Street dates back to 1423 and is one of the oldest buildings in Reading town centre.
The Sun Inn in Castle Street dates back to the 13th century and features a Norman arch leading to a former underground hall that could accommodate up to fifty horses.