Reviews of Reading Abbey Ruins. (Museum) in Reading (Berkshire).

Reading Abbey Ruins

0 Reviews

398 Comments

Museum

Historical landmark

Abbey St, Reading RG1 3BA, United Kingdom

Description

Information of Reading Abbey Ruins, Museum in Reading (Berkshire)

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Open hours of Reading Abbey Ruins

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Reviews of Reading Abbey Ruins

J. W.

Free admission to what is left of Reading Abbey, a once enormous religious building which was closed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Numerous interpretation boards around the site give the history of the ruins. Nicely done, just a shame more of the building didn't survive the centuries.

T. D.

Nice historical landmark, you should visit if you are passing through Reading. It is just beside of beautiful park. Entry free but beware of opening and closing times.

l. S.

Amazing place to discover with free entrance. Many guide maps to show you their history, for you to more understanding & image to the original picture. There're a beautiful garden with a nice cafe here. Just take a cup of coffee & relaxing there. A good place is just for a few minutes walk from the Reading Town center.

B. B.

Part of Reading's history. Most people never see it, I bet. Next to the old prison, just close by the Kennet canal. It's been restored to make the ruins safe, and it costs nothing to visit. Sometimes, in summer, they hold events, such as this year's play 'Great Expectations'. A lovely evening was had!

S. D.

Beautiful place to visit. Can get around it in no time. Lovely park next door too.

L. B. M.

A beautiful historic venue to visit full of character. Great for photos. You really get a feel of going back in time when you walk where past generations have walked. Very well preserved site. Clean, litter free and a real pleasure for historians and architects in particular to visit.

K. B.

Interesting place with lot of history next to forbury Park. It's also close to high street and kennet & avon canal.

N. L.

This was a good evening out ,with two bands celebrating the queen's jubilee weekend, previous Kings lived at the Abbey Ruins, well worth a visit.

T. w. K.

So great to be able to visit again, particularly after all the time and effort that went in to restoring and preserving the ruins. Incredible history right in the middle of Reading. Plenty of useful information to bring the ruins alive. Something to for Reading to be proud of, we need more of this to celebrate the past and provide education and enjoyment in the present

A. V.

I like this place, it is a nice quiet place where history meets modern. There are information tables that describe where everything was in the Abbey, the timeline and the events. It is a nice place to take a walk when you need some quiet time and even to go for a picnic. The ruins are really beautiful and good if you like to take pictures and learn about the past.

A. S.

Nice place to visit. A bit distance car park near shopping centre..free up to 2 hrs. That should be enough to walk around and back.

H. A.

Excellent, you just walk in no office asking for pre-booked tickets, it's an open space like a park. Nice historical place and if you haven't seen ruins in real life before be warned they are a lot bigger than you may image in real life

P. B.

So great to be able to visit again, particularly after all the time and effort that went in to restoring and preserving the ruins. Incredible history right in the middle of Reading. Plenty of useful information to bring the ruins alive. Something to for Reading to be proud of, we need more of this to celebrate the past and provide education and enjoyment in the present.

Z. T.

You have no idea how big the walls of the ruins are until you stand right in front of a walk (it did say the walls were originally twice as big). This is certainly a tourist area and for those who love a scenic walk. There are board up every few yards or so on the information about the ruins and the history on it all. It was definitely a fun history lesson. There is one board that was interactive, where you would have to turn a wheel on the board and music would play out of it. The music would be the sound of the monks chanting. This was lovely. It's definitely a must see when in Reading, it's beautiful, informative and free!

W. H.

A nice place for a stroll. The municipality have done a good job with keeping it tidy, providing information boards, and enabling good access from different points.

R. M.

Reading Abbey is rich in history and is a monument still despite all that has befallen it and it's surroundings. It's a lovely space surrounded by a city the river and the famous former sojourn of perhaps our most celebrated (if he isn't, he should be) author, Oscar Wilde. Throw in some modern art in the shape of Reading's Banksy, the nearby park and the abbey gateway (you can't go many places without Gilbert-Scott being about somewhere) and you have a cultural delight, five minutes walk from Reading station. It's a gift. Unwrap it!

B. S.

It was grea to see a such big part of English history. Impressive👍 and educational information. Definitely recommended for all ages. Plus very nicely maintained.

C. B.

The abbey harkens back to a time of great cultural significance for Reading, when the town acted as a safe haven and burial place for kings and queens of old. Had our good friend Henry VIII not been such a foul human being there's a chance that Reading might now be known for more than a scummy music festival and decent rail links to London.

M. p. L.

Beautiful and well preserved historical building.The Abbey Gateway divided the monks from the more public areas of the abbey. In the 1560s, Queen Elizabeth I turned the abbot’s house, which stood just through the gateway, into a royal palace.

K. G.

One of the most underrated places in Reading! I didn’t know the place had so much history until I visited the Abbey. It’s so nice that it’s still treasured and steps are taken to actually preserve the place! It’s not usually crowded so it’s always nice to visit! Been here once during winter and once during summer! During summer it’s nice to sit near the park side and just enjoy the sun!

C.

Lovely ruins. Just as good as the ones I used to photograph in Italy pre Covid. There are lots of explanatory panels around the Abbey but also dotted around town. Free entry. From the Abbey you can walk along the canal on what is called The Oscar Wild memory walk which leads to the side of Reading Geol which is now newly decorated with a Banksy. Finish with a walk through Forbury gardens and see the big lion statue.

J. V.

I’m so happy this place has opened again after 10 years. The new displays are lovely, particularly the one that plays music and spoken word when you wind it up. The ruins have been repaired and cleaned very tastefully- great work.

M. G. V.

Amazing piece of history just in the city centre. Information on the different areas can be found on boars around the location. Found very interesting and at the same time a relaxing walk just a few metres from the busy city centre.

N. R.

Built in 1121 and the burial site of King Henry 1, this Abbey Ruins is a marvelous Royal historical site with lots of information placards explaining the history of the Abbey. Entry is free.

S. J.

A simply awe inspiring view of a near 1,000 year old spiritual history. This was also the burial site of one of England's Kings and the meeting place of one of the nations parliaments.

R. M.

Visited Forbury Gardens and The Abbey Reading for the Twilight Tour Dec 2020. Such a magical display, really enjoyed the stroll through the installations and great that this is available to dispel some of the bad memories that 2020 has delivered. Ooooh and the mulled wine at the end was not bad either 😋

A. P.

The abbey used to be a humongous place back when it was still standing, the ruins are great reminder of how it used to look and the sheer size of the place. Its surrounded by a lovely park other beautiful buildings. Theres a boat ride stop near by aswell. A lovely historical site.

H. R.

Really nice ruins, and lots of information around. It was pretty miserable the day we visited but still worth it.

B.

A very nice walk with thorough historical plaques. A beautiful place for a picnic or a quiet escape from the surrounding city. It is right next to a sublime park as well.

D. W.

An interesting medieval abbey built by Henry the first in 1121 - his grave is supposed to be somewhere nearby but I couldn't find it. All that remains now are walls and a few arches. Some of the stones from here were used for the church next door. During a sunny day it makes for a pleasant outing. Entry is free but it's also possible to pay for a guided tour. In my opinion there is no point in paying as the site has lots of information on sign boards.

S. M.

Such a great historical spot to visit just a walk away from town center and the mall!

Y. C.

Fascinating history of Reading Abbey brought back to life. The pedestran area around the ruins have been beautifully updated to make it easier to walk around. Nicely linked to the wonderful Forbury Gardens next door.

Y. C.

In my opinion, this is the most interesting place (historically) in Reading. Love the tranquility.

D. B.

Nice and beautiful place to discover!!! amazing free access and amazing landscape.

N. P.

Readings saving grace, it gives a fairly dull town something to be proud about, it has been beautifully restored and never fails to fascinate me every time I go... Church of England is based on Henry 8th and his mission to break free from the Catholic Church and this place is a reminder of his hard work

M. J. L.

Great stuff but I am not sure if they meant 1916 is the correct date this happened or was pained. Pretty sure the latter

D.

Beautiful ruins doesn't take long to look round them but the history is amazing and its free.

A. F.

Nice place to visit.not much to do but there are very useful information boards. Looks like they also put events on within 5he abbey ruins which seem like they could be nice to go see.

P. G.

Saw Progress Theatre production of Great Expectations in the Abbey Ruins . Beautiful setting and excellent play. On until 30th July 2022. Would recommend

Z. X.

Great experience. I learned more about Reading and its history. The baby was large and architecture was wonderful. Tour guides were kind.

d. t.

Had a very interesting day at ruins and learnt a lot about that period in English history. Will definitely pay another visit to it.

N. T.

The Abbey is a wonderful glimpse into the history of Reading. The ruins are beautiful and the information laid around is very informative. Definitely a go to for lunch or just a walk round.

D. J.

Lovely park. There was a play happening in there was we walked through which was a nice surprise.

K.

I was really happy, when the Abby reopened, because I always wanted to see it, I love the historycal thing, ruins. We went with the whole family, and really enjoyed the place, it’s definetly worth for a visit, and it’s free to entry.

a. i.

It's a hidden surprise. The ruins are very deteriorated, but there are still impressive and worth it a visit.

A. P.

Something unexpected in the Reading landscape. Renovated for years and finally opened to the public. Nice scenery for public events. Recommend just to discover a quick history lesson about Reading.

T. R.

Nice walk, lots of history and there is a cafe

B. G.

Lovely place to visit anytime RBC have done an Amazing job bring the place to life and also a great weekend full of events for the queen's platinum jubilee

R. H.

Amazing lived in Reading for ages but only just been. Amazing and chilled wandering around..

j. w.

It's worth a visit and there are plenty of food suppliers, hot and cold. Plenty of narrow boats on the Kennett to see.

K. G.

A beautiful place to visit. Awesome in fact. Lots to learn too.

R. G.

A must visit when in Reading

D. A.

Peace and quiet in the lovely ruins of the very old abbey. No tickets are needed.

M. G.

Went to a tribute concert great venue . Not from the area. Need to go back and visit find out more about the history

K. I. D.

I was waiting 10 years and it's opened again so happy love that place,my favourite spot in Reading 😍

C. M.

Nice night The lights were spectacular

M. Z.

Beautiful ancient place to visit. Christmas lights installation atm!

R. D.

Reading Forbury Gardens & Abbey Ruins Christmas Lights trail Saturday evening 2020. All masked up and somewhere to go.

R. S.

Seems to be some works going on. Love it and was debating having wedding here but not sure. Saw cirque de bijou here which was lovely

K. O.

Very cool very interactive place, information boards all over the location. You can follow these boards from everywhere in town to reach the ruins. Favourite thing is a medieval song which I discovered there, "sumer is icumen in", heard it there and became an instant classic for me. <3

H. R.

Nice place to visit on a sunny day!

J. P.

Lovely time at the waterfeast

H. H.

Very nice park and from there I went for long river side walk.

S. A.

It's great to see this open again. A real asset to the town - packed full of history. This summer it has been the perfect backdrop to some great events.

P. J. N.

Atmospheric place with a great history right next to Reading jail.

K. W.

Restored well plenty of information boards.Lovely stroll.Some people suggest a picnic area,I don't think so this would spoil the grounds.You can picnic in the gardens next to it

R. F.

Very interesting place, right in the heart of the town.

C. S.

Lovely relaxing place to wonder through or sit and ponder

S. B.

Wonderful to see these ruins reopened and accessible for people to visit.

w. b.

Went to a music festival here which was very well organised apart from the food stall. 1 choice that was poor quality

N. L.

Amazing place, really interesting and the best part is it's free entrance! For sure worth spending a couple of hours getting lost in the history.

C. C.

Really interesting and amazing place, full of English History.

P. 6.

Beautiful historical landmark to visit for day out !

A. T.

I knew the ruins were in town but did not expect to find such a large area to explore. It's great to have such an historical place to explore. You'd almost never know it was there as it's hidden away a little (surprising given its size) but that means you can quietly enjoy the ruins without the modern world intruding too much. Highly recommended for a nice walk round.

T. M.

What an amazing place! My daughter discovered this place on her geocache app. We were able to download questions to answer while we were there. Super educational visit!

A. F.

A hidden gem in Central Reading, the renovation has started and is interactive, you could easily pass a hour plus, ruins, canal, and gardens.

C. C. W.

Nice place for meditation

N. K.

Ruins really. Next to forbury garden, you will have a glimpse of history. Monks used to drink bear as water was not safe enough .

R. Y.

Great for a stroll. Tranquil serene. Peaceful. Especially on a lazy sunny day...

B. C.

So glad to have been able to visit such an old landmark. Very quiet atmosphere, very accessible for our stroller.

B. F.

Nice quite area in the city centre

M.

Great free experience just minutes away from the train station. I had a walk around the place took a few photos. Really interesting history with Henry I buried here. There is also the museum nearby which is recommended on all of the signs. Hopefully be able to come back to see that on another pit stop. Perhaps not a main event excursion on a train journey easily.

N. S.

Lovely walk with hot choc through the light trail.

D. W.

Visited July 2021. A set of well maintained ruins with a variety of tactile (you spin a wheel to get some sound files played ) audiovisual aids, maps and guides to the history of the area and environs. Frequently used as a backdrop to theatrical displays - there was a stage production of Romeo and Juliet going on at the time of my visit.

N. B.

It’s free , clean and a laka leg stretch 👍🏼

V. T.

Very nice and moody place. Great historic place. You can have nice walk around alone or with a friend or family. After visiting the place you can go to the park near by and have rest and enjoy the view of the church.

J. H.

I visit during as many of my lunch breaks as I can. Once a centre of Medieval life, the Abbey has seen coronations and burials of Kings of England (and government relocated here with the on set of the bubonic plague). Steeped in history. Not much left, but if you love history worth a visit.

S. E.

Free to walk into from either the river of the Forbury garden. A look back into Reading’s past. Lots of information boards around to read.

p. b.

Historic place with more than 3000+ years artifacts

H. M.

Great to have this ruin open to public again, to wander around and relax in. Plenty of grassy space for picnics, and information boards with historical facts and a few quirky snippets to amuse kids. You can easily fill half an hour wandering around here, or view in just 10 minutes if you prefer. Incredible to be reminded of the ancient past of Reading, and it's an easy walk on to Reading Museum, or the cafés in the town centre.

T. B.

Interesting. Didnt realise there were ruins there.

C. D. C. L.

Such a cute find in the middle of traffic.... Love place to visit.

S. A.

Historical place in Reading. The abbey was built in 1121.

D. &. M.

Beautiful ruin of a massive abbey with a king buried in the ruins somewhere

D. F.

A beautifully interpreted and wonderfully conserved Abbey ruins.

J. B.

Amazing sights to see, accessible to the public

C. B. B.

Lovely place for a walk in the city centre. Nice and peaceful, you may hear the birds singing as they fly by. The nearby Oscar Wilde riverside walk is also recommended.

J. C. S.

Beautiful place lots of history

A. V.

Almost 1000 years old historical place. Re-opened for public after restoration.

L. M.

Twilight Trail - trees and Abbey ruins lit up, all socially distanced.

L. H.

If you like history and old ruins, have a look.

J. S.

I visited the ruined site of the abbey in 2017. It is adjacent to the park and the church. I attended the service on one Sunday. The remains of the abbey is evident that once it was marvelous with its glory of having been founded by King Hendry 1 who was buried in the site. It has also the girls' school where popular novelist Jane Austen had studied. I think the innovative works started to restore the above to its past glory.

M. A.

Nice place with beautiful garden near by. Well maintained. Good place for people who loves history.

a. s.

Beautiful historical ruins with a remarkable locatiom.present in a nice , beautiful garden with river flowing next to them. one can also visit banksy art on a prison wall nearby

S. W.

Very educational and interesting for all ages, only a stones throw outside of Reading centre. My children particularly enjoyed the crank handle audio part of one of the information boards. Glad the ruins are finally being respected more.

A.

Rarely crowded and a nice relaxing atmosphere. The information boards are brilliant and very helpful. Would recommend even just to have a picnic in the grassy central area. Easy disabled access through the end of Forbury gardens or alternatively along the river.

S. G.

So pleased the Abbey ruins have reopened and we can enjoy visiting them again. I always loved this place such wonderful childhood memories and now I can take my grandchildren. The restoration has taken a long time but the wait was worth it.

e.

Lovely restoration, lots of signs and information without being overwhelming. Beautiful gardens next door. Would visit again

P. A.

Sympathetically restored and tidied. Good network of information boards give an idea of how things were. Massive contrast with the old prison next door. Great for moody photo shots. Pleasant place to spend a little time and the Forbury Gardens is right next door.

M. T. M.

Peacefully go for a walk or stroll around.

V. B.

Gem of history hidden in plain sight in Reading. Photos show a set for The Last Abbot performed by Rabble Theatre depicting the story of the real last Abbot of Reading Abbey in the place where it happened. Informative plaques on the walls close to the Kennet and Avon canal.

L. N.

Lovely to walk around, read, learn and relax

D. C.

The abbey ruins are amazing and very interesting. Having lived in Reading for 11 years, I never got the chance to see them during that entire time because they were undergoing extensive preservation works using that entire time. Now that you can actually walk around the entire grounds, it's fascinating to see the structures and layout of the ruins firsthand. Without a doubt a very interesting historical site that should be a priority for anyone visiting Reading or who is interested in historic buildings.

M. E.

A beatiful corner of the 12th century, a sharp contrast with the 21st

L. D.

Lovely to walk around and lots of interesting well displayed information about the history

M. M.

Beautiful historic place , the only thing I didn't like about it , is that the Ruins are in the middle of no where , it feels like you are inside a maze and trying go find your way out of it It will be nice if the council promoted it

R. L.

Bask in the sun, chill in the shade. Look it for events that happen between spring to autumn. A quiet spot, with information boards dotted about to give you a picture of Reading a thousand years ago. A firm family favourite place to visit.

J. B.

Just been to Waterfest. Lovely day out and it has to be said the ruins are looking really good. The council have spent lots of dosh doing them up and the results are excellent. Well done.

G. P.

Facinating place. Lovelly space next to the canal

M. C.

I have lived in reading for most of my life and really enjoyed the Abby Ruins, they have recently given it a face lift and it's now looking amazing with the information points you need around the site to inform you as you wonder around. Wonderful for a few hrs with a picnic

a. s.

Nice quite historical place to come with family and spent some good time in quite

b.

Nice ruins, free of charge, really enjoyable and it doesn't take much of your time to see it all, plus you have history lesson😊

M. S.

So very pretty. So much history to this place. Lovely place if you want a nice relaxing walk, pretty scenery and beautiful garden near by.

K. C. D.

Nice to see a historical place

A. F.

Great place for a quiet wander

n. m.

I've lived in bracknell all my life and never knew that this was here. Had an amazing time here. Well worth a visit if you have a spare hour.

D. S.

Nicely restored and in the middle of Reading. Recreation - a stone's throw from hectic down town shopping away. A blessing in this loud and attention demanding world. Learn about the history, listen to spiritual music and just relax. This will empower you and you will regain your strength! Lovely!

S. O. R.

Very Historical Building Reading Abbey. Lovely place to go for a walk or picnic. Nice photographs if you bring a camera. Next to Forbury Gardens. So again nice place if you like to relax and get away from hustle and bustle of town.

V. A.

These are awe inspiring ruins and the explanation boards really helped us to visualise what it was like hundreds of years ago. We especially enjoyed the one that played music, Sumer is Icumen in.

C. L.

On my doorstep almost but never tire of the place. Was so happy when it re-opened and really impressed with the work carried out. An even greater experience than before. Now if there could be a way to stop people climbing the walls all in the sake of stupid selfies!

S. D.

Very interesting historical place

S. W.

Love the ruins and the new signboards! I have not seen them in a decade! Looking good.

G. F.

Really funky and cool ruins, it really gives you a sense of scale for how grand the Abbey would have been and really well place for easy visiting, walkable from the train station so really easy to access history, well placed information cards so yi can really get into the history. NB the day I visited the police chased a handbag thief through who got caught running into a room with only one entrance haha

E. M.

Who would have thought that there was such history and majesty on our doorsteps in Reading. People pay good money to travel across Europe looking for historic sites like this and we now have them in our own town. There are good paths which make the site wheelchair accessible and lots of signs telling the tales of years gone by. Here's hoping they don't start charging entry.

A. G.

A ruined abbey not much more to add

P. C.

Worth going to visit, as most people don't realise they have a 900 year old piece of fascinating history, on their doorstep, where one of the Kings of England was interred.

S. R.

Decent ruins, nice gravel paths. Great little walkway heading off the main road next to the Kennet and on the way to Forbury Gardens.

D. I.

Very old ruins interesting to learn the history in Reading it's free and parking is very close. Access to it is from the park I think it's called Forbury Gardens then down and underneath a small subway, not a lhuge amount to see really though.

G. T.

Lots of historical information and a good interactive music board with an old song, monks singing and the opening verse of Canterbury tales which our grandsons love.

A. B.

Nice and quiet place. Swans and ducks in the side- not a lot of benches tho. Went there to feed ducks

C. V.

This is the perfect place for a morning walk or take a deep breath during a busy day. It's a timeless place in the middle of Reading. Beautiful and calming. Few steps away from the town centre and central station.

A. T.

Astoundingly beautiful, well-conserved historical site and public space for Reading. Essential to set aside even just 30 minutes for exploration and contemplation.

W. L.

Recently reopened after some conservation work. Steeped in history that is made accessible through several new tourist information points that provide overviews plus QR codes to access more detail. If you have time available in Reading Town Centre you really should make the most of it.

Y. J.

Amazing place. They also have a open theatre. Loads of boards around the place to read up on the history of the place.

E. W.

My problem but I want impressed. Not really interested in that type of history.

K.

Beautiful old ruins of the world-famous Reading Abbey which had an incredibly rich history. The Forbury Gardens next to it are beautiful to sit in.

S. M.

Nice for walk and rest 😃

E. O.

Wonderful to see this place reopened again after being closed for many years. Watched a Shakespeare play with mother, much ado about nothing performed by Progress Theatre. Magical setting to see a performance , especially at twilight.

P. H.

Very pleasant walk around the ruins & nearby forbury gardens

P. B.

Historical and worth a visit.

S. A.

The ruins will always hold a special place in my heart , I love history and on September 2nd this year my boyfriend proposed to me here , We will be getting married next year ! It's a beautiful place

N. H.

Some things to see and red. Good walk-through experience. Family friendly. Expected duration 30 minutes

A. M.

Well refurbished and maintained, with informative boards. A quiet break from the traffic and construction in Reading.

l. c.

Well kept, informative placards which are great for adults + children alike. Followed by a lovely walk around forbury gardens. Great place to visit for a morning or an afternoon.

A. L.

A lovely place to escape the commerce of Reading. Informative boards explain the different areas of the abbey, one with sound effects. You can get an idea of the original scale of it from the height of some of the remaining walls.

A. T.

Peaceful historic Abbey Ruins is a lovely area to relax during lunchtime which had information about the Ruins to learn about its history You can access the Ruins via Kings Road and Forbury Gardens where public toilets and cafe are located.

C. F.

Went to the open air theatre. It was great fun I can highly recommended it.

W. e.

Its been closed for literally years but now they're made it safe and opened it up with new signs and interactive music spots. Really glad this important historical landmark is open to the public again

S. C.

It must have been Reading's grandest building, just a few ruins now. Peaceful place for quiet reflection, between the River Kennet and Forbury Gardens, both also worth a visit.

L. W.

Fascinating, such a peaceful feeling

M. L.

Thoroughly interesting site. It's a ruin, so don't come expecting a great deal, but what is left is fascinating and there are information placards around to explain the location and history in more detail.

P. 4.

Visited on a Sunday in September, very quiet. Very interesting with lots of information boards

S. B.

If you enjoy peaceful green landscapes, then definitely give this beautiful historical landmarks a visit.

T. R.

Banksy: strikes again, thx be to godz/goddesses! that we have ephemeral spirits like his along for this ride on MamaGaia. gonna file under: late quarantine project, people antsy AF, spring mite be fixin' to sprung on that other side the fence. another national treasure achieved! look up the video collab, wit another fine spirit Bob Ross, via banksyfilm on youTube, you will not regret. stay strong peeps and rise up while you at it!

A. V. G. F.

Lovely place to visit on any kind of day whatever you are interested in the local history or just to go for a nice walk.

J. B.

An almost forgotten element of Readings past and important archaeological remains. This is free to wonder and in a nice and quiet area of this large town.

D. B.

Lovely place to wander around. Powerful imagery of life 500 years ago.

N. B.

Nice walk through the brief history of reading abbey is a lovely place to stop for a bit of food or play a few rounds of hackey sack.

A. H.

When there's tours on its great but only good for history lovers. Not much to offer other than history. It's clean and not much else to say about it

K. K.

Beautiful history!!

Y.

Its a fun quiet place where u can relax. In addition to that you can also fly your drone around there as it has no ristriction on the app. (My drone "Dji Spark")

V. T.

The abbey have been subdivided and partially built over since the 17th century, but there is a lot of local interest in them and efforts are being made to make them more visitor-friendly and informative. That said, what is left is rather sad and needs imagination to interpret. The church was the size of a large cathedral, but its footprint is not at all well advertised.

A. H.

It was the first time I had visited the Abbey Ruins in 60 years! !! It was very interesting and we will visit again to learn more about the history of Reading.

L. S.

Lots of information boards and a very inviting place to take a stroll around. The architecture that remains is impressive, so in its day it would have been even more so.

K. I.

Quite interesting from a local history perspective. Note that they are doing fairly extensive restoration work in late 2017, which means that much of it is currently covered in scaffolding.

N. S.

Not the best preserved or the most informative of ruin restorations, but nonetheless a worthwhile visit to see one of the cwntrepoints of Reading's history.

K. G.

Grat events hold there

N. Y.

I go there to perform as a contemporary but primarily as a medieval morris dancer. There is a lot of morris dancing history associated with these ruins and nearby churches, going back 500 years. There are some exhibited artefacts and recorded commentary to listen to.

K. D.

Lovely peaceful area. Lots of work has gone into restoring the ruins into an excellent & informative visitor attraction.

G. G.

Beautiful spot in reading...next to the old jail where Ocar Wild Once lived unfortunately....

f. p.

Interesting and well worth a visit. Peaceful place to sit. Unexpected gem in the middle of town next to a lovely park.

C. W.

These ruins have been stabilised after many years of decay and finally closure to the public. Re-opened this summer, they are a bit of a jewel in the crown in the centre of old Reading, next to the Kennet, adjacent to Reading Gaol, the place of incarceration of Oscar Wilde (think the Ballad of Reading Gaol). It was destroyed by Henry IIIV who had the Abbott burnt at the stake in a nearby square. So...while walking around these peaceful ruins there is a lot to ponder on....and....this was the location of one of the first ever written records of an English song..."summer is a coming in".....

G. B.

Lovely walk. Will definitely take a picnic with next time. Dog friendly

D.

Bunch of ruins. Well explained through panels. It is interesting seen how the monks life was about since XII to XVI century when Henry VII close the Abbey. Free entrance , of course

S. T.

Very interesting and great to see it open again. Could do with a few more information boards to give some more in depth info on the site. That said, for free you can't complain 😊

J. P.

They lie about the history's of Abbey. Monks escape to france , others been burn inside with many Christians .only because the king make this own church. Away from Rome. Or you follow him or you die. The crazy king of England. But I don't know how many he burn in England.??? Could you help me!

N. M.

Really interesting place to visit the info boards are also very helpful in understanding the abbey and its history

B. J.

Now restored and reopened to the public, it has quite a history. Some information boards are displayed. More will probably be forthcoming in the future. There's not a lot to see, but it's free.

p. d.

Great piece of history nicely tidied up reopened recently also love the old building over shadowed by the modern a strange contrast great views for photos

T. T.

Very good enjoyed the play held there hope to go back another time

P. M.

Lovely part of Reading lots of history and good it's not been knocked down and built more flats/homes on it we have too many in Reading

I. M.

The recently reopened Reading Abbey ruins are a haven from the busy town center. The signs are informative. One sign plays monks chanting, part of Chaucer's Pilgrims Tale, and Summer is a Cummin In. There are a few chairs to sit on in the largest open space. It also makes that part of the Kennet more accessible as one can walk through the Forbury then the Abbey ruins then down to the Kennet.

p. s.

Nice to walk around and imagine its former splendour

L.

Amazing place to Potter around. It seems to hold events over the summer, there is all so lots of different areas scattered over the historical site.

J. V.

Well maintained with lots of information for a self guided tour.

E. S.

Surprising place in the middle of Reading town centre!

C. G.

nice calm place and well maintained....has a lovely park attached to it....also the river kennet flows by...you can walk along the river and reach the town center and oracle mall....

L. G.

It's a lovely place to wander through and relive the history of Reading. Great for picnics and a variety of events are held here too

S. Y. L.

The abbey ruins is quite impressive and convenient to access

C. B. O.

Wow lovely piece of history

A. J.

It's a nice place to visit if you are in reading.

S. F.

Nice peaceful atmosphere, surrounding park areas were lovely.

S. W.

Great space in the middle of a busy town to stop and take a breath, eat lunch or take a walk. A couple of benches or a picnic table or two would enhance this space.

T. K.

Great signposting on the ruins and has lots of information. They are still doing restoration works!

M. M.

A very interesting visit ... if you are interested in the Plantagenets then do go and see where Henry 1 is buried.

P. G.

Stunning, old ruins with hidden history told by Reading Museum. Would recommend a visit.

R. M.

Interesting printed information, some trivia that helps you understand the history through little known facts

J. D.

We used this place a lot 45 years ago. Has been closed for conservation work and access has been restricted. Historicalness very important

W. W.

Newly opened after some major tidy up work and really benefits from it. A pleasant walk along some historic architecture.

B. W.

Slight problem finding the right gate to get into the site has most gates are locked. Hence the 4 stars. Better signage would solve the problem!

D. C.

Walked around here as part of the twilight trail at Christmas. Interesting to see it lit up but overall not a huge amount to see

d. b.

It's a ruin.....what can I say 🤷‍♂️

j. T.

Is a nice place to visit and take pictures , but is not a big attraction.

G. D.

Great location for wedding snaps!

E. T.

Lovely town. Nice place to visit and the surroundings.

V.

If you know Reading, you may well know of it's Abbey. Along with the nearby Forbury gardens, they make up the jewel in Reading's crown. After a lot of work to keep it from further decay, the Abbey is once again open. Learn about Henry the first who had the Abbey built and was later interred there. Find out what happened to the last abbot of Reading and the man he thought was his friend (another chap by the name of Henry, a real nutjob). History awaits at Reading Abbey.

U.

A quiet and beautiful place Reading Abbey.

A. L. (.

This is amazing place for relax! Free entry! You can do really nice pictures of this place and enjoy the view!

A.

Nice but too many people walking around without masks during a pandemic

H. M.

Interesting history. The ruins, much larger than I expected. Beautiful place.

M. G.

Lovely place, a bit hard to find the entrance though

K. B.

Great place for a wedding reception or any other celebration.

J. A.

A gem in an otherwise scruffy downtrodden town.

A. W.

Haven't visited the ruins in decades. Lovely to see how well it's been preserved.

C. B.

Lovely location to wander around and chill out on the benches in the summer. An essential part of the history of Reading.

A. M.

The write ups is what i like the most. It takes you to an imaginary world and you actually start seeing the monastery halls and monks walking beside you.

H. A.

Interesting and well maintained historical ruins.

M. P.

Nice place with history

A. P.

Great place

T. J.

Must-see in Reading. Nicely displayed and described free attraction. Very quiet area out of business hours.

S. B.

Open air gig !

L. S.

Really worth a detour.

I. P.

A great place for a walk in the sun!

V. D.

Very nice place to visit and take photos.

T. A.

Cool place to walk through.

T. S.

Whats a great riunsin town centre

A. N.

Beautiful place! 💕💕💕💕

A. W.

Great walk back in time with some Comforteth artwork

C. S.

Historic Reading site reopened. More events could be held & amenities provided.

A. A.

Incredible history, and the interpretation panels are good, especially the audio clip of the monks chanting.

M. J.

Was a very powerful place, the remnants help you to imagine what it must have been like all those years ago.

J. A.

Been in Reading all my life, but only happened to find this Treasure after realising I rarely explore my home town these days.

V. I.

Nice place but there is not much to do.

A. L.

A slice of history enjoyable

L.

Good place for a stroll

T. m. m.

The Jewel in the centre of Reading, fantastic history and we'll presented by new information boards. Highly recommend

J. *.

Waterfest Live Music event within the Abbey ruins, such an auspicious setting so a great atmosphere

M. F.

A must see if you're in Reading. The restored Abbey is a lovely stroll or picnic area

F. A.

A pleasant oasis of calm in the middle of town. Presently being remodeled (ie building works) hence 4 stars.

B. S.

Trip down history lane with an added beautiful park for a warm afternoon stroll, picnic or just relaxing away from home.

R. H.

The ruins have been stabilised and made accessible again. New information boards have been installed

S. C.

Amazing place to wander around. Look out for the arch off near the blade building.

J. F.

Wemt to see the Shakespeare, just as athmospheric a theatre venue as it ever was. Both the Ruins and the Progress Theatre must continue for a long time.

R. C.

Wonderful restoration and great to see the space used by the winter extravaganza today!

A. C.

Lovely ruins with the oldest song including the word 'fart"! Little ones loved it.

B. K.

Very nice and well maintained gardens. Ruins are great and with good info points!

D. “. A.

I've lived in Reading for 23 years and never visited this place until recently. Amazing place.

D. W.

Story of the Abbey is kind of spread out. Best place to start is the museum at the Reading town hall

m. w.

Lovely historical area.

J. N.

Nice now they have finished the renovations.

R. H.

Interesting, enjoyable, relaxing; well worth going to.

G. M.

Lovely to be able to explore this historic and once grand site.

J. Y.

Lovely place to visit, and see to the ruins and take photos.

S. W.

Went to a silent disco here. Pretty epic night, got absolutely smashed and had a blast.

s. c.

Looking forward to being able to access ruins again after the long-awaited restoration!

A. W.

Fascinating to learn about the history and scale of the Abbey. The information boards throughout the site are excellent.

G. H.

Very well presented with new description boards. Although not a lot remains it is the site of the burial of King Henry I.

Y. T.

Almost 1000 years of history lies here... A must see in Reading.

A. M.

Nice to see this place open completes a nice walking route allow the Thames and Kennet from Thames business park

D. B.

Really fascinating site. Full of history. Good place to visit

R. P.

I worked as a skilled labourer on the renovations and thought my video's may be interesting.

M. I.

Historic and with excellent informative signage, peaceful gardens.

A. C.

Surprisingly interesting, worth a visit

P. H.

Pleasant walk, not a bad way to waste an hr.

U. D.

Cool, something you don't see often, would visit again

S. I.

Interresting, though not a lot of things to see. Worth viewing as part of a bigger Reading visit.

L. S.

Free to look around with information boards and plan of Abbey picturrs

E. C.

Hidden away, these extensive ruins in the heart of Reading are well worth a visit.

m. b.

Short stroll from the center well worth viewing!

C. W.

Love going they great place nice to see that the monks monastery is still they go and see it

O. D.

Amazing ruins

C. C.

Hidden away between office blocks and the old prison, a hidden gem, well worth a visit.

R. A.

Very interesting and informative well laid out of. Worth several visits.

M. W.

Very interesting historical ruin. Henry 1st is buried there and Henry 8th dismantled it.

r. k.

Old historical place , good short walk option

A. P.

First time in reading city centre didn't know the ruin s were there but good find

A. P.

Way cool part of reading history you should definitely check it out!

P. P.

Wonderful experience, peaceful surroundings.

R. C.

Tucked away near centre of town next to river. Large impressive ruins.

p. d.

Its good but only on a sunny day, the abbey gardens next to it are good place

S. W.

A real joy to have this open again. Ideal for a quiet time or to see a performance.

S. J.

Lovely place in the summer to take the sunshine in. No parking.

I. A.

Great for a sunny stroll.

L. M.

Great historic experience showing the church ruins.

P. S.

Fascinating & well preserved

M. N.

It reminds me of yester years from 1960 to 1970.Winds of change were turning our minds to think that dooms day had arrived

M. F.

Beautiful site and excellently renovated. Very atmospheric

p. j.

Beautiful ruins of a very important Abbey where parliament was held .

T. B.

Nice place, not too much to see but nice.

R. J.

Beautifully preserved ruins and a historical part of Reading.

C. H. T.

very beautiful

D. T.

A piece of history that is a fascinating place to visit

C. G. L.

Amazing

D. B.

Make sure you start at the Town Hall for the guide to the Abbey. Then follow the route around town.

J. G.

Kinda boring but it's good to see the old ruins public again

S. C.

So interesting! There's lots to see and the history is smashing

A. F.

Great to see via the Oscar Wilde path. Oh beautiful world!!

g. t.

Great piece of history, quite a large area of ruin

S. P.

Very interesting

C. Y.

This is of historical value and well worth the visit.

a. a.

Not so great as it looks in pictures

B. W.

Very good descriptive boards incuding an interactive one.

l. p.

Very interesting historical place to visit

S. B. S.

Hidden ruins but well worth a visit.

P. C.

A well maintained area of local history in amongst the everyday hustle and bustle.

P. R.

Always been a bit of a history buff. Interesting part of local history.

G. L.

Nice walk, interesting history about the abby.

l. g.

Really informative and well pitched for both people who know about this period and complete newbies.

Y. A.

Nothing to see because it is destroyed except some walls and stones here and there.

D. S.

Nice place to do photography

P. G.

Great place..would make a fantastic wedding venue

S. B.

A beautiful place to relax, close to the river.

T.

Such a great bit of history here .

J. S.

Beautiful for a short walk on a sunny day.

M. R.

A hidden gem in what feels like a modern, up and coming, city.

D. A.

Great free place to sit and ruminate about the past.

A. D.

Will come back to climb on them and smoke on henry I's resting grounds

a.

Great recovery work. Amazing historic spot

M. L.

Was being restored so limited access but interesting historically

D. “. L. L.

So well presented and free too

j. j.

Lovely historical place

I. Z.

Very nice and quiet part of Reading!

m. b.

Wonderful place to be

L. G.

Nice preservation, vast area and not easy to envisage.

I. B.

Well maintained but not much to see

D. B.

Well maintained, but not much to see

L. V.

One of the only nice places in Reading

H. W.

Must see bon a visit to Reading. Beautiful.

L. R.

Lovely

J. T.

Quite interesting & the explanation boards were not overwhelming.

A. T.

Just nice to see some history

P. G.

Interesting town trail and info boards leading to Abby.

D. H.

It Was peaceful to look around

B. R.

Nice little historic town

N. H.

Spectacular ruins, away from usual touristic paths.

A. M.

A perfect day out especially with the pandemic!

G. C.

Nice place for a relaxing moment in the middle of Reading

R.

A must see in Reading but don't expect too much as it is a small area to enjoy.

J. R.

An interesting blue badge guided tour by Graham

K. M.

Lovely place for a historic walk.

E. A. F.

A place whit beautiful energy, verry nice place

D. S.

Not much to see, but a lot of history.

E. S.

Very informative about the history , very beautiful

R. A.

Nicely maintained..for an old ruin :-)

s.

Here is a quiet, peace, and nice heritage.

E. G.

Good, cozy restaurant, tasty food, good service.

J. M.

Really good day do pleased it's now open

M. G.

Old and a place to visit once in your life

C. C.

Pretty interesting, fairly well preserved.

H. I.

It's going to be fabulous once it's completed in June

A. M.

Fantastic location to experience an outdoor cinema.

s.

Pretty cvlt place to zone out to some doom

N. C.

Well worth a stroll round. Interesting sign boatds

S. G.

Small but interesting

S. C.

Amazing ruins

A. B.

Recently restored abbey ruins with information boards.

S. ..

big place ! ruins, passing sky, feels like time travel ^

M. G.

Lovely please for walking

J. H.

Nice to walk through on a sunny day

A. B.

Sad there are bits missing

D. C.

A place of great historical interest.

G. G.

History buffs will love this place

W. S.

An amazing asset of our national heritage

S. P.

Beautiful place on the sunshine 🌞

S. S.

Great place to chill out

R. O.

Nice to walk around the ruins

C. W.

Great place lots of history

T. S.

Incredible ruins very well presented

g. h.

Nice place to go for a little walk

H. G.

Lovely atmosphere and performance space

B. C.

Good information boards to walk around and read

C. S.

Really informative place and nicely redone.

D. B.

Nice quiet and interesting place

c. p.

Always visit the abbey when I,m in Reading

S. A.

Fascinating ruins steeped in history!

p.

Plenty of history here. A quiet little corner of Reading.

D. D.

Beautiful ancient place

C. H.

Lovely to see it's history

g. e.

Closed, so could only see from outside the fence.

M. H.

Lovey walk clean and tidy

N. S.

Delicious blackforest gateau ice-cream

h. b.

nice impressive old ruins

A. S.

Beautiful place with lots to do

O. H.

Beautiful place

Y. G.

Great place to visit in reading

A. B.

Nice job lots of historical info.

M. S. Q.

Nice public place to visit.

R. A.

Visit at least once in a life time.

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