Reading Abbey
On the list as Reading Abbey Ruins
Opening times and tickets are on its own website.
Reading Abbey, 1611 and today
Drag across to compare. The two views aren’t taken from exactly the same spot.
1611: Photo: John Speed · Public domain. Today: Photo: Chris Wood ( User:chris_j_wood ) · CC BY-SA 4.0.
About Reading Abbey
Reading Abbey, listed as Reading Abbey Ruins, is one of 5 Grade I listed buildings in Reading and about 9,341 in England. It was among the first 72 buildings in Reading to be listed, on 22 March 1957, and its entry was last amended on 14 December 1978. It stands over a scheduled monument, Reading Abbey: a Cluniac and Benedictine monastery and Civil War earthwork.. Within 400 metres are 2 more Grade I buildings and 48 other listed buildings. We have 5 public-domain views of it from before 1950.
What it isRuined abbey in the English town of Reading, founded in 1121 by King Henry I. From Wikidata (CC0). Read about it on Wikipedia ↗
HERead the official list entryHistoric England’s description of the building, its history and why it is listed · List entry 1113477↗Grade I is for buildings of exceptional interest, about 2.5% of all listed buildings in England. Listing protects the whole building, inside and out: changes need listed building consent from the council.
5 old views of Reading Abbey, inside and out
Public domain, made before 1950, from 1611 to 1890. Tap one to see it full screen.
Outside
1611
c. 1890
c. 1890
c. 1890Inside
1870From Wikimedia Commons (public domain or CC0), copied to our own server; each credit is in the viewer.
Make it a walk: 5 listed buildings in about 15 minutes
Reading · about 0.5 miles on foot, as the crow flies
- 1Reading AbbeyStart here
- 2
Abbey GatewayGrade I · 0.1 mi on - 3
St Laurence's ChurchGrade I · 0.1 mi on - 4
Reading MinsterGrade I · 0.2 mi on - 5
15 Castle StreetGrade II* · 0.1 mi on
13 more listed buildings within 150 metres
Grade I and II* ones open their own page; Grade II ones open the official list entry.
Grade I churches near Reading
Within 25 miles, with a photo.
Questions about Reading Abbey
Is Reading Abbey listed?
Yes. Reading Abbey Ruins is listed Grade I on the National Heritage List for England (list entry 1113477), first listed on 22 March 1957.
Can you visit Reading Abbey?
Yes: it is open to visitors; opening times are on its own website.
Are there old photos of Reading Abbey?
Yes: 5 public-domain views from before 1950, on this page.
© Historic England 2026. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Check an entry on Historic England’s website before relying on it. Photos: Wikimedia Commons and Geograph, credited above, copied to our own server. Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Sources: Historic England, National Heritage List for England (listed buildings, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, battlefields, World Heritage Sites), October 2026, inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary. All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.