Princess Diana's brother says the town could build an Abbey museum
Charles Spencer tells GHR the sale of the adjacent Prison is a "magnificent" opportunity
Last updated 6th Aug 2021
Historian Charles Spencer says a museum dedicated to Reading Abbey could be built alongside the ruins.
The author of a new book called 'the white ship' - which tells the story of Henry I the founder of the Abbey and his reign - says the sale of Reading prison is a great opportunity for the town.
"it's entirely impractical but I would love to have a proper museum commemorating Reading Abbey, I know there is a commemoration in your museum, but to do something more imaginative, and I think there is the opportunity to do something magnificent there. "
Princess Diana's brother says he doesn't want to step into the politics of the prison's sale and accepts there will be a temptation to "cash it in" as he puts it.
Henry I was buried in front of the high alter in the Abbey in 1136. A listed building containing a nursery now sits on top of where the tomb is thought to be located.
Charles is convinced it's still there "there is no record of his body being moved we know where he was laid to rest because he was the founder of Reading Abbey. He was laid to rest at the point of honour in that mighty building now the question for the people of Reading and particularly that building is 'do you want people digging around?' and I know the answer, they don't because I've put the question to them!"
'The White Ship' details the event in 1120 which may well have led to Henry I deciding to found Reading Abbey a year later. The sinking of the White Ship is described as one of the greatest maritime disasters that England has ever suffered. The King's son and heir William died in the disaster. Charles says the Abbey is "one of the more wonderful results of the White Ship".
He's repeated a previous view that if Henry I is ever discovered he shouldn't stay in Reading
"I do think it would be a rather wonderful thing to find King Henry I and re-inter him in Westminster Abbey. There are people in Reading and I totally respect it who think he should be re-interred in a church there, St James's Church, but I would contend that he didn't choose to be buried in Reading he chose to be buried in Reading Abbey.
"I hope it's not a snobbish argument and I can see lots of different pulls on this man's final resting place and maybe the compromise is to leave him where he is and to leave a little question mark in historical research on exactly where he is."
All this could be academic, realistically the site of Henry's tomb has probably been disturbed over the years by various building projects. The likelihood of it remaining intact is slight.
'The White Ship' is published by Williams Collins.