The Birth of Reading
Pre-Roman
In pre Roman
times Reading was on the northern borders of a British tribe called the
Atrebates. Their capital town
under Roman rule became Calleva Atrebatum near Silchester.
600-1066
600 AD
Reading was
founded as a settlement of the 'Readingas'.
Saxons from North Europe. They
were named after their leader, a chief called Reada (the Red).
They chose the
spit of land in the fork of the Thames and the Kennet which had good
arable land and protected the fords and crossing points of the river.
The main early
settlement at Reading was probably in the St Mary’s Butts area, possibly
with some on the Abbey site.
Romano-British
and Saxon cemeteries have been excavated near the Dreadnought Inn at
Kennet Mouth and at Cemetery Junction.
871-872
A great Viking
army came overland from East Anglia and set up a stronghold in Reading.
A strategic focus for invading Wessex from the North East.
They encamped between the Kennet and the Thames.
King Alfred the
Great, victorious at Englefield and Ashdown, failed to take Reading after
great losses on both sides. (The
remains of the Viking settlement may have been used as the boundaries for
the Abbey).
971
A Nunnery was
formed by Elfrida in Reading as an act of penance as it is thought that
she aided the murder of her stepson Edward - King of England so that her
10 year old son Ethelred (The Reddess) could be crowned in 978. The foundation charter of the Abbey noted that the Nunnery
had suffered desolation “on account of its sins”.
This Nunnery of
Munster Church of St Mary's is regarded as the oldest sacred spot in
Reading. Researchers believe
that the site of this Nunnery may have been close to where the present
prison stands.
1000's
The Vikings
returned, and Reading was attacked and burned in 1006 and probably again
in 1009. Peace came once
Canute became king and he gave Reading to his standard bearer Tovi the
Proud.
Reading was a
strategic crossing point of the Thames for invading armies and many
battles were fought here.
The original
Normans were Viking raiders. In
England, many were converted to Christianity and became famous for their
learning, their monasteries and their military prowess (Interestingly
Norway became a Christian country because one of their kings, who came to
England on a raid, was converted and took Christianity back to Norway).
After the battle
of Hastings the Normans moved on to encircle London travelling through
Wallingford, where a castle was soon built to hold the area.
Local roads like Castle Hill and Castle Street in Reading may
indicate a Norman stronghold.
1042
The Saxon King
Edward the Confessor ruled England from 1042 to 1066.
During this time Reading was a small royal town, one of the palaces
of King Edward being just down river at Old Windsor. Reading had a mill, minted coins and held a market.
Do events
from the past have any influence on the way we are today?
- Earliest
proof of Christianity found at Roman settlement.
- The
Vikings chose a place of considered power between the fork of two
rivers.
- Elfrida
who formed the first dedicated spiritual building as a penance for the
murder of her stepson. It
is said that the Nunnery suffered desolation “on account of it's
sins.”
- King
Canute gave Reading to his standard bearer Tovi the Proud.
1066 - 1540 The Middle Ages including Reading Abbey
1540-1700 including The Civil War
Historical Streets and Places in Reading
Praying together for Reading - What is God doing?