Volume 31: Greyfriars, Reading: From Prison to Parish Church

Description

Built around 1300, Greyfriars Church is one of the oldest buildings in Reading and is the only surviving part of the town’s Franciscan friary. For almost 250 years, from the early seventeenth century, it was used as the borough prison, or Bridewell. It remained in use as a prison until 1862, when it was sold to a local clergyman who spearheaded the conversion of the building back to ecclesiastical use.

By using original records, this volume tells the story of when the building was a Bridewell, giving a glimpse inside the walls that only the unfortunate few had at the time. Following its restoration and reconsecration, the church quickly became established as a parish church, with the strong intention of serving the population of what became its district. Among the records of those early years, the logbooks of the newly established Greyfriars Schools especially tell a fascinating story of life, particularly for the poor, in the town.