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Following its royal foundation, the abbey was established by a party of monks from the French abbey of Cluny, together with monks from the Cluniac priory of St Pancras at Lewes in Sussex. According to the twelfth century chronicler William of Malmesbury, the abbey was built on a gravel spur "between the rivers Kennet and Thames, on a spot calculated for the reception of almost all who might have occasion to travel to the more populous cities of England". The adjacent rivers provided convenient transport, and the abbey established wharves on the River Kennet. The Kennet also provided power for the abbey water mills, most of which were established on the Holy BrookThe Holy Brook is a six mile long channel of the River Kennet in the vicinity of the English town of Reading. Whilst of considerable historical significance, the origin and nature of the brook is still unclear; it is probable that some parts of the channe, a channel of the Kennet of uncertain origin.
When Henry I died in France in 1135Events Stephen of Blois succeeds King Henry I. Empress Maud, daughter of Henry I and widow of Henry V opposed Stephen and claims the throne as her own Owain Gwynedd of Wales defeats the Normans at Crug Mawr. The domination of Baghdad by the Seljuk Turks e his body was returned to Reading, and was buried in the front of the alter of the then incomplete abbey. Other royal persons buried in the abbey include parts of Empress MaudEmpress Maud ( February 7, 1102 September 10, 1169) is the title by which Matilda daughter and dispossessed heir of King Henry I of England and his wife Maud of Scotland (herself daughter of Malcolm III Canmore and St. Margaret of Scotland), is known, in, Prince William the Count of Poitiers , Princess Constance of York , and Princess Isabella of Cornwall , among others.
Because of its royal patronage, the abbey was one of the pilgrimageA pilgrimage is a journey by a religious person to a place that is sacred according to his or her religion. Pilgrimage in Hinduism There are several holy places with great significance to Hindus. Some of these (in India) include: Badrinath Kedarnath Gango centres of medieval England, and one of its richest and most important religious houses, with possessions as far away as HerefordshireHerefordshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. It borders the counties of Shropshire in the north, Worcestershire in the east, Gloucestershire in the south east and the Welsh preserved county counties of Gwent in the south west and Powy and ScotlandScotland or in Scottish Gaelic, Alba is a country and former independent kingdom of northwest Europe, and one of the four nations comprising the United Kingdom. Scotland occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Scotland took part in a p. The abbey also held over 230 relics including the hand of St. James.
The abbey was largely destroyed in 1538 during Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries. The last abbot, Hugh Cook Faringdon, was subsequently tried and convicted of high treason and hung, drawn and quartered in front of the Abbey Church. After this, the buildings of the abbey were extensively robbed, with lead, glass and facing stones removed for reuse elsewhere.