Barking about Reading

The Barking Abbey Archaeology Project volunteers recently ventured across London to Reading, where there once stood an Abbey - up river to our own. Reading Abbey was founded for monks by King Henry I in 1121. It shared some interesting parallels with the female Abbey in Barking. Both were dedicated to Mary the Virgin although at Barking a second dedication was to their founding abbess St Ethelburga and Reading was additionally dedicated to St John the Evangelist.

We enjoyed exploring the rejuvenated Abbey Quarter and visiting the accompanying exhibition on the history of the abbey in Reading Museum.

This also houses a fantastic full sized Victorian replica of the Bayeux Tapestry.

We enjoyed an interesting talk on the impressive embroidery and discussed the likelihood that it was stitched in England and the possibility that Barking Abbey nuns were involved in the process - as mentioned in the BBC Radio 4 episode of You're Dead to Me, by expert historian Dr Janina Ramirez: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0cgn8tz

To this end we explored the idea that the only named women on the tapestry - Aelfgyva - is the abbess of Barking c1052-1109! Aelfgifu (an alternative spelling of the same name) hosted King William I at her Abbey after his conquest and riotous coronation, while his white tower was built closer to the city of London. Barking Abbey also owned the chapel nearby - All Hallows by the Tower. A Saxon cross from Barking can still be seen there. It is documented that the Norman king received the surrender of the northern Lords during 1067 whilst at Barking!

With this context in mind Barking's abbess could be the depicted lady, being violated by cleric, some time before the Battle of Hastings, in the tapestry timeline. This incident remains a mystery to historians but no doubt had significance to the nuns who stitched it, who may even have felt moved to depict it, especially if they came from Barking.... Alfgiva stands beneath an ornate gateway and beside a church-like building, perhaps representing Barking Abbey...

It was an interesting and inspiring day for all!

Masonry finds from the ruins of Reading Abbey and a painted replica to show how they would have looked at the time

Beside the talk other highlights included the design of the Abbey exhibition gallery and use of the first known secular song transcribed in English, 'Sumer is a Cumin in'. We enjoyed hearing it both in the exhibition gallery and the abbey ruins! We have commissioned medieval music experts Leah Stuttard and singer Vivien Ellis to record a song from Barking's Hymnal for our up coming Abbey Archaeology Exhibition and they will both be hosting participatory workshops and performance of Barking Abbey inspired music at our event on Abbey Green - St Margaret's Church on the 26th July and at Valence House Museum, where our exhibition will be launched, on Sunday 27th July 2025!

Heritage Volunteers are treated like royalty - sometimes....