Forbury · Reading

The Richest Abbey That Vanished

Find what's left of an abbey that was once richer than Westminster.

• ⏱ 20 min
• 💷 £0
• 🥾 Easy

Reading Abbey was founded by Henry I in 1121 and grew into one of the wealthiest monasteries in England — until Henry VIII dissolved it in 1539 and had its last abbot hanged outside the gate. What survives is a jagged skeleton of flint and stone, quietly sitting behind the park.

What you’ll do

1. 1Get to the ruins
2. 2Find the tallest wall
3. 3Prove it

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Photo: Paul Gillett, CC BY-SA 2.0