Abbey Gateway, Reading

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}

{{Infobox historic site

| name = Abbey Gateway

| image = Reading Abbey Gateway restored 2018-04-15 16.38.31.jpg

| caption = The gateway as restored in 2018

| type = Gateway

| locmapin = United Kingdom Reading Central

| coordinates = {{coord|51|27|23.2|N|0|58|00.5|W|display=inline,title|type:landmark_region:GB}}

| location = Reading, Berkshire, UK

| area =

| built =

| architect =

| architecture =

| governing_body =

| owner = Reading Borough Council

| designation1 = Grade I Listed Building

| designation1_offname = Abbey Gate

| designation1_date = 22 March 1957

| designation1_number = 1155691

}}

The Abbey Gateway was originally the inner gateway of Reading Abbey, which today is a large, mostly ruined abbey in the center of the town of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. The gateway adjoins Reading Crown Court and Forbury Gardens and is one of only two abbey buildings that have survived intact, the other being the Hospitium of St John the Baptist. It is a grade I listed building, and includes a porter's lodge on the ground floor and a large open room above the gate.{{cite web |title=The Inner Gateway |url=http://readingabbey.org.uk/fora/lesabbey/innergateway.htm |publisher=The Friends of Reading Abbey |accessdate=7 June 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110825175435/http://readingabbey.org.uk/fora/lesabbey/innergateway.htm |archivedate=25 August 2011 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Abbey Gate, Reading |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-38933-abbey-gate-reading |publisher=British Listed Buildings |accessdate=7 June 2011 |archivedate=18 January 2012 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118194121/http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-38933-abbey-gate-reading}}{{cite web | title = State of the Environment Report – Chapter 2 – The built environment and landscape | publisher = Reading Borough Council | url = http://www.reading.gov.uk/Documents/ourenvironment/stateoftheenvironment/Chap002_Built%20Environment.pdf | accessdate = 23 April 2010 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20060521063733/http://www.reading.gov.uk/Documents/ourenvironment/stateoftheenvironment/Chap002_Built%20Environment.pdf | archivedate = 21 May 2006 | df = dmy-all }}{{cite web |url=https://www.readingabbeyquarter.org.uk/gate |title=Abbey Gateway |work=readingabbeyquarter.org.uk |publisher=Reading Borough Council |accessdate=31 January 2020 |archivedate=31 January 2020 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131102720/https://www.readingabbeyquarter.org.uk/gate}}

The gateway marked the division between the area of the abbey open to the public and the section accessible only to monks, with the abbot's lodging just inside the gateway. The gateway thus became the meeting place between the abbot, who commanded considerable powers within the town, and the people of the town. In 1539, after the dissolution, Hugh Faringdon, the last abbot of Reading was hanged, drawn, and quartered outside the abbey gateway. Whilst the other buildings of the abbey were stripped for lead and stone, the abbot's lodging was turned into a royal palace on the orders of Edward Seymour, who was acting as lord protector as King Edward VI was still a child. The abbey gateway was also retained, as the entrance to the royal residence.{{cite web |last=Ford |first=David Nash |work=Royal Berkshire History |publisher=Nash Ford Publishing |url=http://www.berkshirehistory.com/maps/reading_abbey/rdgab13.html |title=The Abbey Gateway |accessdate=2 May 2009 |archivedate=7 February 2010 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100207182216/http://www.berkshirehistory.com/maps/reading_abbey/rdgab13.html}}

Edward's sister, Queen Elizabeth I, was a regular visitor to the royal palace, but during the Civil War the old abbot’s lodgings were damaged, and were not used as a royal palace again. Eventually the palace was demolished and new houses were built alongside the gateway. In the late 18th century one of them was home to the Reading Ladies’ Boarding School, attended amongst others by the novelist Jane Austen. The school used the room above the gateway as a classroom.{{cite book| title=Reading, past and present |first=Stuart |last=Hylton |page=23 |isbn=0750949007 |publisher=Sutton Publishing Ltd |date=1 April 2008}}

The gateway was heavily restored by Sir George Gilbert Scott, after a partial collapse during a storm in 1861. In 1900 a series of twelve heads, sculpted by Andrew Ohlson, were added to the gateway.{{cite web |url=http://pottsvctrust.org/P8413.pdf |title=Abbey Gateway Heads |website=Potts VC Memorial Site |publisher=Potts VC Trust |accessdate=10 February 2020 |archivedate=10 February 2020 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200210140221/http://pottsvctrust.org/P8413.pdf}}

In 2010, the gateway was closed and fencing erected when some of the decorative stonework came loose and fell into the street. It reopened in 2018 after an extensive restoration, which was supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The room above the gateway is now used by Reading Museum as part of its learning programme for local schools, whilst the arch below is available for use by pedestrian and cycle traffic. The Reading Half Marathon, held every year in March or April, passes under the gateway at around the {{convert|7|mi}} stage.{{cite news |title=Reading's Abbey Gateway shut over safety fears |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/berkshire/8516165.stm |work=BBC News |accessdate=7 June 2011 |date=15 February 2010 |archivedate=31 January 2020 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131174532/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/berkshire/8516165.stm}}{{cite web |title=Falling stone closes Abbey Gateway |url=http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/s/2065830_falling_stone_closes_abbey_gateway|publisher=Reading Post |first=Linda |last=Fort |date=15 February 2010 |accessdate=7 June 2011 |archivedate=22 February 2010 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100222094334/http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/s/2065830_falling_stone_closes_abbey_gateway}}{{cite news | url = http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/reading-half-marathon-2015-how-8386169 | title = Reading Half Marathon 2015: How the course changeos for this year's run | first = Jennie | last = Slevin | work = www.getreading.co.uk | date = 6 January 2015 | publisher = Trinity Mirror Southern | accessdate = 14 January 2015 | archivedate=2 April 2015 | url-status = live | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20150402180836/http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/reading-half-marathon-2015-how-8386169}}

The gateway includes a stone head of the last abbot of Reading, Hugh Faringdon, carved by Alex Wenham, which received a commendation in the 2022 Natural Stone Awards.{{cite news| url=https://media.reading.gov.uk/news/prestigious-award-for-readings-abbey-gateway-hugh-faringdon-carving | title=Prestigious award for Reading’s Abbey Gateway Hugh Faringdon Carving | location=UK | publisher=Reading Borough Council | date=7 December 2022 | access-date=20 April 2025 }} This carved head was added to commemorate the 900th anniversary of Reading Abbey in 2021. {{Cite web |date=11 June 2025 |title=Abbey Gateway |url=https://www.readingmuseum.org.uk/your-visit/abbey-quarter/abbey-gateway |url-status=live |access-date=11 June 2025 |website=Reading Museum}}