Readings Abbey, founded in 1121 by King Henry I of England, was huge, wealthy and important until Henry VIIIs dissolution in 1539, after which it declined over the years into the picturesque ruins that grace the north bank of the Kennet today.This history of the Abbey and the Abbey Quarter relates the motive behind its foundation, the relics that made it a famous destination for pilgrims from all over Europe, the part it played in royal and parliamentary life, the story of its downfall and its continuing influence on the geography and buildings of the town. With detailed descriptions of the Abbey buildings and their layout alongside features on monastic life and the Abbots, the book brings to life the role of the Abbey in the town both before and after its dissolution.A walking tour (with map) of the Abbey Quarter provides readers with an opportunity to discover the clues history has left behind; it indicates where some of the Abbey stone has ended up, and allows readers to connect directly with the past and understand the legacy we are left with today.

John Painter retired as a full-time local government officer in 2011, following 28 years working for Reading Borough Council, latterly as the authority's Head of Administration, Monitoring Officer and Returning Officer. A graduate in History and Politics from Warwick University, with a keen interest in local history, he has been actively involved in the Friends of Reading Abbey from 2011, and Secretary since 2013. He is also an active member and Secretary of the Reading Male Voice Choir. His motive in joining the Friends of Reading Abbey was to provide support the Council's efforts to consolidate the Abbey Ruins and get them re-opened to the public by 2021, the 900th anniversary of the Abbey's foundation. He has lived in Reading since 1983, in the same road, close to the University and the Purple 17 bus route.Dr Peter Durrant MBE was County Archivist of Berkshire for 25 years until his retirement in 2014. He read history at Manchester University, where he also did his postgraduate research. He is a founder-member of the Berkshire Record Society and currently serves as the society's General Editor. He is Chairman of the Royal County of Berkshire Churches Trust, and a past President of the Reading Branch of the Historical Association. He was Visiting Research Fellow in the Department of History at Reading University, 1988-2016, and for many years has taught for Oxford University Department of Continuing Education. He is a contributor to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, and has published a number of articles in local journals and in the revised edition of the Historical Atlas of Berkshire (2012). He was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 2002. He has been Chairman of the Friends of Reading Abbey since 2012.