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that followed, St Mary's church was stripped of its altar, statues and stained glass, and by 1550 was in need of extensive repair. Between the years of 1551 and 1555 the church was extensively restored, using quantities of masonry and timber from the ruins of the Abbey. Contemporary accounts include
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The churchyard extends to the south and east of the church, and is bounded by the streets of St Mary's Butts, Gun Street, Chain Street and by an unnamed footpath connecting St Mary's Butts and Chain Street along the rear building line of the buildings fronting Broad Street. It is crossed by several
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stands on the plinth of an earlier font and dates to 1616. A gift from the
Vachell family, it is octagonal in shape and is carved with the arms of the Vachell, Knollys and Reades families who intermarried. Some of the carved shields represent Tudor roses and originally would have been painted in
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their heraldic colours. On the north wall of the chancel is an impressive black-and-gold monument to
William Kendricke and his wife dated 1635. William Kendricke was churchwarden at the Minster from 1607 to 1610 and was a considerable benefactor of the church.
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which grew to become one of the most important religious and political centres of
England. For the following 400 years the Abbey was the centre of ecclesiastical power in the town, and the Abbot also held the post of Rector of St Mary's. In 1371 a
367:. All that remains of this nunnery is a rounded Saxon door in the church, most likely used by the nuns to attend church services. In the 11th century, the Danes sacked Reading and the nunnery was destroyed. By the time of the
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Most of the bells now hung in the
Minster's tower date from the 17th and 18th centuries. The present peal consists of three dated 1640, two dated 1740 and two dated 1743. In 1611 the first clock was installed in the tower.
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payments for the dismantling and carriage of the Abbey's choir and nave roof, and is believed that the pillars which now separate the
Minster's south aisle from the nave came from the Abbey. The
460:. It was rebuilt by the same company in 1936. In the early 21st century, the church began a project to restore the organ. The organ was largely neglected throughout the 20th century, leaving
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other paths which carry heavy pedestrian traffic between various town centre areas. The churchyard contains a number of significant trees, including a 150-year old Indian Bean Tree (
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founded a small chapel on the site of
Reading Minster in the 7th century. Silver coins of the 9th century have been found in the churchyard, dating back to the period when Kings
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In 1918 a war memorial chapel, known as St
Edwards Chapel, was added with entry through the old Saxon doorway of the nunnery. The church had undergone further
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Eds. P. H. Ditchfield, and
William Page. London: Victoria County History, 1923. 367-378. British History Online. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
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warped. The restoration requires a fund of approximately £500,000 and aims to replace the wind system, electronics and manuals.
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The main body of the church dates from the late 11th
Century, however in 1539, the Abbey was dissolved on the orders of King
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that also celebrates the same anniversary and is located only a few feet away in the centre of St Mary's Butts.
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in 1863 when a new choir aisle was added, and in 1872; with further work in 1935 and 1997–2003.
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on the site as an act of repentance for the murder of her stepson, King
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502:. It has been suggested that it was constructed in reaction to the
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762:"Trippy Tree in Reading Minster graveyard is refusing to die"
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http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/berks/vol3/pp367-378
494:. The monument is constructed in a 15th-century style in
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at
Reading, and also the era in which Reading supplanted
246:, is the oldest ecclesiastical foundation in the town of
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254:, England. Although eclipsed in importance by the later
702:. Reading Minster of St Mary The Virgin. Archived from
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697:"The organ in Reading Minster of St Mary The Virgin"
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35:The church tower, chequered with flint and stone
1223:Church of England church buildings in Berkshire
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680:A History of the County of Berkshire: Volume 3.
543:Reading Minster from the south-east, 1800-1809
288:The Chancel looking East towards the Sanctuary
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268:The minster gives its name to the street of
555:Reading Minster from the south-east, c.1887
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745:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
486:Also to be found in the churchyard is the
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733:1862 Henry Willis Organ Restoration Fund
567:Reading Minster from the south-east, 2005
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630:. Reading History Trail. Archived from
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678:"The borough of Reading: Churches ."
348:) as the local centre of importance.
1238:Grade I listed churches in Berkshire
813:Matthew, H. C. G. (September 2004).
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304:The Kendricke Monument dates to 1653
244:Minster Church of St Mary the Virgin
1233:Grade I listed buildings in Reading
788:"Jubilee Cross - Reading - England"
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320:According to unverified tradition,
66:Location within Reading Town Centre
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276:, which is only a few yards away.
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490:, built in 1887 to celebrate the
448:The Minster's organ dates to 1862
371:, the church had been granted to
815:"Milman, Henry Hart (1791–1868)"
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492:Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria
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1035:Broad Street Independent Chapel
989:St Mary's Church, Castle Street
274:St Mary's Church, Castle Street
1218:Churches in Reading, Berkshire
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458:1862 International Exhibition
403:administered for the chapel.
994:St Peter's Church, Caversham
792:britishlistedbuildings.co.uk
760:Fort, Linda (27 July 2015).
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1090:King's Meadow swimming pool
579:Interior of Reading Minster
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667:History of Reading Minster
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18:Church in Reading, England
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821:. Oxford University Press
768:. Trinity Mirror Southern
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1182:University War Memorial
1157:Statue of George Palmer
1127:Reading railway station
514:List of notable clergy
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359:of England, founded a
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93:51.454500°N 0.973611°W
506:design of the nearby
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377:William the Conqueror
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143:readingminster.org.uk
1122:Reading Old Cemetery
1095:Leighton Park School
1080:Hospitium of St John
928:St Laurence's Church
887:Listed buildings in
735:, Reading, Berkshire
603:The Indian Bean Tree
522:(1791–1868): 1818–35
480:Catalpa bignonioides
187:Heritage designation
98:51.454500; -0.973611
1117:Queen Anne's School
1075:Holy Trinity Church
1025:Bath Road Reservoir
395:was established by
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1197:West Memorial Hall
1020:All Saints' Church
794:. 14 December 1978
628:"St Mary's Church"
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336:were fighting the
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1187:Vachel Almshouses
1172:Reading Town Hall
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969:Reading Town Hall
913:Greyfriars Church
908:Chazey Court Barn
591:The Jubilee Cross
520:Henry Hart Milman
365:Edward the Martyr
342:Calleva Atrebatum
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179:Functional status
133:Church of England
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1167:Reading Gaol
1101:Maiwand Lion
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823:. Retrieved
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636:. Retrieved
632:the original
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227:Archdeaconry
174:Architecture
128:Denomination
81:51°27′16.2″N
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1177:Thames Lido
1065:High Bridge
1055:Crown Court
949:Calcot Park
466:soundboards
425:restoration
412:Reformation
157:7th century
96: /
84:0°58′25.0″W
1212:Categories
1050:Coley Park
1015:Abbey Mill
798:2 November
772:2 November
612:References
472:Churchyard
408:Henry VIII
399:which the
397:Edward III
346:Silchester
163:Dedication
1060:Elm Lodge
937:Grade II*
410:. In the
353:Ælfthryth
252:Berkshire
242:, or the
232:Berkshire
1008:Grade II
825:30 April
741:citation
713:30 April
665:Leaflet
638:30 April
456:for the
386:founded
326:Ethelred
260:Anglican
109:Location
896:Grade I
889:Reading
527:Gallery
504:secular
393:chantry
384:Henry I
280:History
248:Reading
215:Diocese
191:Grade I
168:St Mary
154:Founded
149:History
139:Website
122:England
119:Country
113:Reading
334:Wessex
330:Alfred
220:Oxford
203:Gothic
182:Active
707:(PDF)
700:(PDF)
462:pipes
440:Organ
431:Bells
357:Edgar
338:Danes
198:Style
827:2009
800:2016
774:2016
747:link
715:2009
640:2009
328:and
312:The
375:by
332:of
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739:{{
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344:(
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