The Reading Civic Society is working with Reading Borough Council and Reading Museum to actively source funding for a commemorative plaque that is to be located on the east side of the Abbey Gateway. It will replace the incorrectly sited, inaccessible and almost illegible brass plaque which is in a locked garden behind the west side of the Abbey Gateway. The existing plaque and further information may be seen on the Heritage boards and Blue plaques section of this website.
2025 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen (1775-1817), one of our best known authors. Jane spent 18 months at Reading Ladies Boarding School in our town between the summer of 1785 and December 1786. The Reading Abbey Gateway was one of the buildings occupied by the school. The town will be marking the anniversary with a series of events.
The overall cost of the project to design, build and mount the plaque on the Abbey Gateway, which is a designated Scheduled Ancient Monument, is expected to be £7,500. Reading Borough Council have been able to find £6,500 of funding from sources such as the Shared Prosperity Fund. Work is underway to commission the stone early in 2025 to enable it to be erected in June / July 2025, thus it will be included on any Jane Austen walks during the 250 Anniversary. The Reading Civic Society’s challenge is to find the rest of the requirement, £1,000.
The commemorative plaque is to be carved and installed by Cliveden Restoration; a company that has been involved in the restoration of many of the town’s statues and memorials. It will be a circular stone plaque made from Forest of Dean sandstone situated within the gateway arch. The lettering will be black.
The overall design has been chosen to be fully reversible as it will be attached to a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The more common Historic England Blue Plaques need to have a section of brickwork carved out to allow them to be set in a wall whereas this plaque will be fixed by secret supports hammered into the mortar. Historic England have given their consent to the design and fixing.
If you would like to find out more about the project, perhaps to make a donation, please contact Chairman Richard Bennett on 01189 598350 or Bennettbaker@msn.com
If you’re interested in plaques in Reading, then you will want to see the new section on our website entitled Heritage & Plaques that provide details of all of the plaques around the town and their locations.