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Summary

Founded in 1233 near Caversham Bridge, but moved to present site c. 1282-85. It surrendered to the Crown in 1538, but the church building was used as a prison until it was restored to church use in 1863.

Monument Type(s):

• FRANCISCAN FRIARY (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1282 AD to 1863 AD)
• GUILDHALL (Post Medieval - 1542 AD? to 1611 AD?)
• PRISON (Post Medieval - 1611 AD? to 1800 AD?)

Description

A Franciscan friary was founded near Caversham Bridge in 1233. But because of regular flooding the site was moved to Reading in c.1282-85. The friary was surrendered to the crown in 1538 and by 1613 it had become a prison. The existing church (built 1863) incorporates the nave and west window of friary <1, 2, 3, and 4>.

The friars were given permission by the abbey to settle at the west end of New Street in 1233. In 1282-85 the friars applied to move the buildings to the present site due to flooding. The rebuilding took place in the late 13th century or early 14th century according to a surviving will of Alan de Baunebury dated 1311 <8>. The friary was still established until 1538 when the religious site was surrendered to the king. Following the dissolution of the abbeys, in 1542 the main body of the church was granted to the borough for a new Guildhall and almshouses <8>. By 1613 it had become a prison and was eventually restored to ecclesiastical use in 1863 and a north transept was added <5>.

Rocques map of 1761 of Berkshire shows buildings on the location of the priory site. These buildings may be alms houses, which were constructed on part of the site, while the prison may be located to the rear of these properties.

In general the detail on the 17th and 18th century maps is not detailed enough to adequately place the buildings in the location of Greyfriars, although they are indicative of structures being built on the former Greyfriars precinct. The map of 1802 may explain why on earlier maps it was not possible to identify the shape of the nave and transepts of the old friary. It would seem that a series of columns are drawn in the nave, which is roofless. The buildings that are marked around the edge of the church must use some of the outer walls, but in essence appear to be lean-to structures using one surviving wall of the building. This gives some indication of the extent of rebuild of the church in 1863. On the west side of the site there are three buildings located around a yard. It is highly likely that one of these buildings may have been constructed 1542-1611, and that although more of them could have, they are probably later additions in the period 1611-1802. The map shows the area around this is marked out as agricultural plots.

By 1833 the map shows the cluster of buildings that would have underlain Greyfriars Hall with the buildings around the church shown to the south. The map of 1835 shows tenements or alms-houses running along the frontage of Friar Street. These are also shown on a map of 1840 as well as structures to the west of the property.

The board of health map of 1853 shows the church rebuilt and roofed. There is a dwelling to the east and a school has been constructed to the northwest in the area where the church hall of Greyfriars still stands. The north and west of the land on which Greyfriars stands has tenements facing north on to Vachel Street and also to the west. However, the date of this map should be questioned as the church and school are shown but the church is not reinstated as such until 1863.

By the map of 1861 there are five buildings shown on the site. One of these is indicated to be a prison. This structure would seem to be represented by a building that once adjoined the north side of the priory church nave.

The church and school at Greyfriars is shown on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1879. The same arrangement is shown on the 2nd series map of 1899, but with a probable vicarage <8>.

During building works, an unspecified number of burials were found by the exterior of the south transept in 1963 <5>. Foundations of chalk were also uncovered to the south of the church and may represent other friary buildings.

During an evaluation at the site of the Greyfriars Day Nursery a compact flint surface constructed of large nodules was revealed and would have once formed a possible yard surface. Sealing the flint surface was a possible 'occupation' soil. This was in turn overlaid by a 0.03m thick chalk deposit that may also have served as a working floor surface. This surface may also be connected to a friary building. Although a larger excavation area would be necessary to determine the possible function of this surface <6>.

<1> Knowles D and Hadcock R N, 1953, Medieval Religious Houses (Bibliographic reference). SRD9923.

<2> Martin A R, 1937, Franciscan Architecture in England, Pages 106 -116; illustration (Bibliographic reference). SRD9924.

<3> Berkshire Archaeological Society, 1898, Berks, Bucks and Oxon Archaeological Journal, Page 85 (Journal). SRD9925.

<4> 1903, Berks,Bucks and Oxon Archaeological Journal, Page 22 (Journal). SRD9926.

<5> Astill, G.G, 1978, Historic towns in Berkshire: An archaeological appraisal, Pages 78 and 79 (Bibliographic reference). SRD6871.

<6> John Moore Heritage Services, 2011, Archaeological Test Pits and Watching Brief at The Greyfriars Day Nursery, 64 Friar Street, Reading, Pages 1-3 (Unpublished document). SRM14253.

<7> John Moore Heritage Services, 2012, Archaeological desk-based assessment on Greyfriars Church, Friar Street, Reading, Berkshire (Unpublished document). SRM14333.

<8> 1923, Victoria County History Berkshire, Pages 324-364; 367-8 (Bibliographic reference). SWK6192.

<9> Oxford Archaeology, 2018, Greyfriars Church, Reading, Berkshire. Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment (Unpublished document). SRM15824.

<10> Oxford Archaeology, 2019, Greyfriars Church, Reading, Berkshire (Phase 2). Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment (Unpublished document). SRM16107.

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