The site of Reading Abbey is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The cache is not at the published co-ordinates but is a short walk away.
It was 900 years ago in 1121 that Henry I ordered a new Abbey to be built in Reading. The Abbey would have a large and impressive church and living quarters for dozens of monks, who would worship in the church. No expense was spared in its construction. The Abbey Quarter in modern Reading covers the former precinct of this royal monastery.
The Abbey was the fourth largest church in Britain. It was such a large and ornate construction that building continued for almost 200 years after the original foundation in 1121. Henry I died before it was completed and was buried in front of the high altar.
Monks of the Benedictine Order lived, worked and worshipped at Reading Abbey for more than 400 years. Royal funerals and weddings and meetings of court and Parliament were held at the Abbey. Thousands of pilgrims visited to pray for a blessing or a cure. It was a site of international significance, occupying land between the two rivers, the Thames and the Kennet.
Over 400 years of monastic life at Reading Abbey suddenly came to an end in 1539 during the period of the dissolution of the monasteries ordered by Henry VIII. Henry took the Abbey’s valuable possessions. The monks scattered and Hugh Faringdon the last abbot of Reading was executed.
You can read far more about Reading Abbey ruins here.
Now for the cache
At stage 1 - the published co-ordinates - where you have found the Abbey Church
In which year did Horace Boardman do the painting of the marriage shown? ABCD
At stage 2 where you have found the Abbey Ruins
In which year was the Reading Abbey Stone discovered? EFGH
At stage 3 where you are near the ruins of the dormitory (to your left).
The ruins of another building are to your right. How many letters are in the name of this building? J
The dormitory was connected to another important building. How many letters in the Latin name of this building? K
The cache can be found a short walk away at:
N51 (A+E)(D+G).D(F-C)(K-J) W000 (C+D)F.(K-J)(D-A)H
The digit sum for the final co-ordinates is 51.
If you would like to add to the Church Micro series yourself then please look here
http://churchmicro.co.uk/
There is also a Church Micro Stats & Information page that can be found at
http://www.15ddv.me.uk/geo/cm/index.html