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Summary

New Street/Friar Street was first documented in 1186.

Monument Type(s):

• ROAD (Medieval to Modern - 1186 AD to 2050 AD)

Description

The line of Friars Street is located along the northern edge of the medieval settlement of Reading <4>. New Street/Friar Street was first documented in 1186 (known as Newe Street). This road is part of the grid laid out to focus trade on the market place at the Abbey Gates <1>. It was probably laid out by the Abbot of Reading to control trade by redirecting it away from the earlier focus of the town that centred on St. Mary's Butts <2>. According to Gelling (1973), the street was named Nouus Vicus in 1224-5 and Le Newstrete 1490 <3>. It became known as Fryers Street in 1714, clearly taken from the earlier Friary in the area <3>. Speed's map of 1611 shows buildings fronting Friar Street and also a group of buildings jutting out into the street<6>. Rocque's map of Berkshire of 1761 shows buildings fronting onto Friar Street <5>.

In 2013 a watching brief undertaken during emergency repairs to a collapsed sewer in the middle of Friar Street observed a dump deposit of 14th to 15th century medieval material, comprising pottery, animal bone and notably leather pieces including soles used for shoemaking and leather making. The latter suggesting that a cobblers was located on or near the site. It has been tentatively suggested that the presence of this medieval deposit located in what is now the centre of the present road, could suggest that the earlier road was previously much narrower and perhaps also had a different centreline than the present day. It could also indicate a structure on the site similar to that shown jutting out on Speed's map <7>.

<1> Astill, G.G, 1978, Historic towns in Berkshire: An archaeological appraisal (Bibliographic reference). SRD6871.

<2> Thames Valley Archaeological Services, 2001, 25-26a Friar Street, Reading, Berkshire - An Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment (Unpublished document). SRM13909.

<3> Gelling M, 1973, The Place Names of Berkshire - Volume I (Bibliographic reference). SWK6808.

<4> John Moore Heritage Services, 2012, Archaeological desk-based assessment on Greyfriars Church, Friar Street, Reading, Berkshire, Page 8 (Unpublished document). SRM14333.

<5> Rocques J, 1761, A Topographical Survey of the County of Berkshire (Cartographic materials). SRW5930.

<6> Speed, 1611, Map of Berkshire (Map). SRM13118.

<7> Thames Valley Archaeological Services, 2013, Friar Street road repair, Reading, Berkshire - Archaeological Watching Brief (Unpublished document). SRM14521.

Sources

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