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The Abbey Gateway was originally the inner gateway of Reading Abbey. It includes a porters' lodge on the ground floor and a large open room above the gate. Originally dating from the twelfth century, the gateway was extensively remodelled by Sir George Gilbert Scott in 1861. Built from flint and Bath stone ashlar, the gateway has two storeys, a central pointed archway, flanking buttresses and octagonal end turrets with cornice, parapet and cope. Inside the archway is a large round-headed arch and two pointed doorways with stairs to the left. In the late eighteenth century, one of the houses standing alongside the gateway was home to the Reading Ladies’ Boarding School, attended amongst others by the novelist Jane Austen and her sister Cassandra.
Title
Abbey Gate
Date
1121 & 1861
Medium
flint & Bath stone ashlar
Accession number
RG1_BC_S026
Acquisition method
purchased by public subscription
Work type
Gateway
Owner
Reading Borough Council
Custodian
Reading Borough Council
Work status
extant
Listing status
Grade II (England and Wales)
Listing date
22/03/57
Access
at all times
Inscription description
plaque on west side of adjoining wall: JANE AUSTEN / Novelist / Attended School at the Abbey Gateway / 1785-6 / Plaque unveiled by H.H. Judge Spence / Resident Judge, Reading Crown Court / 28 March, 2006 / Presented by Reading & District Steadfast Association / and / Engravemaster.com