Group of four churchyard tombs north of the Church of St Mary

St Mary's Churchyard, Reading, RG1 2LG

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Overview

Four burial tombs, erected between the 1730s and 1830s. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1156950
Date first listed:: 14-Dec-1978
List Entry Name:: Group of four churchyard tombs north of the Church of St Mary
Statutory Address:: St Mary's Churchyard, Reading, RG1 2LG

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Date:: 2003-03-31
Reference:: IOE01/10447/04
Rights:: © Mrs Lucy Cant. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1156950
Date first listed:: 14-Dec-1978
Date of most recent amendment:: 08-Jan-2024
List Entry Name:: Group of four churchyard tombs north of the Church of St Mary
Statutory Address 1:: St Mary's Churchyard, Reading, RG1 2LG

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: St Mary's Churchyard, Reading, RG1 2LG

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:: Reading (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: SU 71401 73356

Summary

Four burial tombs, erected between the 1730s and 1830s.

Reasons for Designation

The group of four churchyard tombs to the north of the Church of St Mary, erected between the 1730s and 1830s, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

*     as a late-C18, early-C19 group which contributes to the historic character of the churchyard.

Historic interest:

*     as part of the social development of Reading’s ancient core.

Group value:

*     the tombs are in close proximity to a large number of listed buildings including the Grade I-listed Church of St Mary.

History

The crossroads formed by the north-south route of St Mary’s Butts/Bridge Street and the east-west route of Gun Street/Castle Street is believed to be the centre of the original Saxon settlement at Reading, established sometime before the ninth century, with the lowest crossing point of the River Kennet lying a short distance away to the south.

Reading was well-established by the time of the Norman Conquest, and the Domesday Book (1086) records six mills and a large estate in the town. The Church of St Mary, which lies on the north-east corner of the crossroads and was mostly rebuilt in 1551-1555, was the town’s primary church until the establishment of Reading Abbey in the C12 and became so again following the dissolution in the late 1530s.

The church and churchyard were extensively restored and ‘improved’ during the late C19, with a row of buildings along the western side of the churchyard demolished to create the open relationship between the churchyard and St Mary’s Butts.

The four churchyard tombs form part of a wider group of elaborate, stone tombs within the churchyard. Collectively, they point to the relative wealth and prosperity of Reading during the C18 and C19 and also record the names of the families and individuals who were prominent in Reading society, during this time.

Details

Four burial tombs, erected between the 1730s and 1830s.

MATERIALS: all four tombs are faced in a light-grey limestone, probably Portland stone.

DETAILS: the south-western tomb, erected in around 1732, is a large chest tomb with set-back corner pilasters and carved side panels. There are carvings of angels to the western face. It retains cast iron railings with urns on the corner posts.

The south-eastern tomb, erected in around the 1790s, has a cuboidal form with the north and south faces carved with rectangular panels bearing dedications to members of the Martin family.

The north-western tomb is set apart from the others and further away from the church. It was erected in around 1820 and has a moulded top with reeded side piers. It has a wide surround for railings which have been removed.

The north-eastern tomb was erected in around 1830 and is dedicated to John Tappenden. It has pediments to the north and south faces, while the sides have inward-tapered corners with banded, angled piers. The capstone is cross-gabled.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:: 39158
Legacy System:: LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, Bradley, S, Tyack, G, The Buildings of England: Berkshire, (2010), 438-440
Websites
Reading Borough Council, History of Reading (2012), accessed 24/09/2023 from https://web.archive.org/web/20120425235452/http:/www.reading.gov.uk/
St Mary’s Butts and Castle Street Audio Trail, accessed 21/11/2023 from https://www.reading.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/heritage-and-conservation/readings-high-street-heritage-action-zone/community-engagement/reading-audio-trails/st-marys-butts-and-castle-street/
Victoria County History, Ditchfield, P H, Page, W, A History of the County of Berkshire: Volume 3 (1923), accessed 24/09/2023 from https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/berks/vol3

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.