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and the "Reading Gaol Hug" in which about 1000 people surrounded the gaol linking hands. However in
October 2019 the Ministry of Justice announced that the site was to be sold. A "March to the Gaol" scheduled for March 2021 had to be cancelled at the last moment due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.
343:
There have been calls for the prison building to be preserved as an arts and cultural hub, and
Reading Borough Council have confirmed that they would like to retain the complex. In June 2014 it was proposed that the site could be converted into a theatre venue. However, in November 2015 it was
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Reading
Borough Council put forward a bid to turn the gaol into an arts and cultural hub. Artisan Real Estate was the successful bidder but in November 2020 it was announced that the sale had fallen through.
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Accommodation at the prison consisted of a mixture of single and double occupancy cells, on three wings. There was also a residential unit (Kennet wing) of single occupancy cells for low-security '
244:. As a county gaol, its forecourt served as the site for public executions, the first one in 1845 before a crowd of 10,000; after 1868 executions took place inside, the last one in 1913.
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In May 2021, it was announced that
Reading Borough Council's bid for the gaol had been turned down by the Ministry of Justice because the offer of £2.6 million was too low.
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In May 2016, it was announced that the former prison would be made available as an arts venue for the
Reading 2016 Year of Culture programme. An exhibition curated by
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381:, speculated to be a reference to Wilde's imprisonment. Banksy uploaded a video of the creation titled "Create Escape" on 5 March, mixed over a narration by
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and are the subject of a project focused on the history of ‘ordinary’ men in
Berkshire charged with indecent assault/gross indecency between 1861-1967, the
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On 4 September 2013, it was announced that HM Prison
Reading would close by the end of that year, and the prison formally closed in January 2014 under
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In
January 2024, the property was sold for £7 million to the non-profit Ziran Education Foundation, run by the Chinese-born businessman Channing Bi.
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There have been concerted efforts by campaigners wanting a permanent arts and cultural hub at the gaol. These include a petition started by local MP
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were of German origin but there were also Latin
Americans, Belgians, and Hungarians. In 1969 the wing where the Irish had been held was demolished.
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In 1973 Reading was re-designated as a local prison, and around that time its old castle wall was removed. The building was designated as
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announced by
Chancellor George Osborne and Justice Secretary Michael Gove that the site was to be sold to housing developers.
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Reading Borough Council were then given a period of exclusivity to prepare a new bid for the gaol by mid March 2021
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painted a mural on the wall of the prison depicting a prisoner escaping on a rope made of bedsheets tied to a
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noted the possible link to the ongoing campaign to save the gaol building as an arts hub, and local MP
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and managed and delivered by Support U, the LGBT+ support and wellbeing charity in the Thames Valley.
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It was designed to carry out what was the very latest penal technique of the time, known as the
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823:"Banksy confirms Reading prison artwork is his in video featuring Bob Ross"
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and William Boynthon Moffatt, it was based on London's New Model Prison at
709:"The Ballad of Reading Gaol: Wilde enthusiasts lead campaign to save site"
665:"Prison building revolution announced by Chancellor and Justice Secretary"
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571:"Ministry of Justice announces closure of Reading Prison – Reading Post"
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and for a variety of other purposes. Most of those interned during the
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also expressed the hope that the artwork would become a part of this.
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496:"Reading Gaol (main building) former Her Majesty's Prison (1321948)"
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445:– professional boxer, spent two weeks in HM Prison Reading (2009)
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on the site of the former county prison, alongside the ruins of
19:"Reading Gaol" redirects here. For the poem by Oscar Wilde, see
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917:
775:"Reading Prison: Council given time to revive arts venue plan"
386:
797:"Banksy Reading jail mural 'should become part of arts hub'"
753:"Reading Prison: Sale of 'Oscar Wilde jail' falls through"
286:, holding prisoners between the ages of 18 and 21 years.
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It was used to hold Irish prisoners involved in the 1916
423:– murderer, whose execution inspired Wilde's poem (1896)
545:"Instagram post by Banksy • 4 March 2021 at 3:31pm UTC"
523:"Enemies of the State: Irish Patriots in Reading Gaol"
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The historic records of the prison are housed at the
435:– actor, served six months after being arrested for
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731:"Reading Gaol: Oscar Wilde prison put up for sale"
643:"Reading jail considered as site for new theatre"
463:"Reading Prison of Oscar Wilde fame closes early"
162:, Berkshire, England. The prison was operated by
909:Essay on Wilde and the history of Reading Prison
166:until its closure at the start of 2014. It is a
894:History of Reading Prison from theprison.org.uk
593:"The Closure of Prisons Order 2014 - Section 2"
282:in 1978. In 1992 it became a Remand Centre and
255:, as seen during Reading's 2016 Year of Culture
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881:Pit of Shame, The Real Ballad of Reading Gaol
687:"HMP Reading set to be Year of Culture venue"
8:
621:"Call to save 'Oscar Wilde jail' in Reading"
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332:painted overnight 28 February/1 March 2021.
190:HM Prison Reading was built in 1844 as the
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229:design of 1842 was based on the design of
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297:. The remand centre library was run by
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221:shape, and is a good example of early
1266:Royal Berkshire Regiment War Memorial
7:
1530:Grade II listed buildings in Reading
899:Ministry of Justice pages on Reading
569:Millward, David (4 September 2013).
501:National Heritage List for England
429:– serial killer of children (1896)
369:On the night of 28 February 2021,
14:
1520:2014 disestablishments in England
876:(Berkshire Books, Gloucs., 1993).
338:The Closure of Prisons Order 2014
667:. UK Government. 9 November 2015
158:, is a former prison located in
1322:Broad Street Independent Chapel
1276:St Mary's Church, Castle Street
711:. Irish Times. 18 November 2019
1510:1844 establishments in England
314:National Lottery Heritage Fund
1:
1281:St Peter's Church, Caversham
904:Ballad of Reading Gaol Etext
874:Reading Gaol by Reading Town
194:County Gaol in the heart of
164:His Majesty's Prison Service
1377:King's Meadow swimming pool
284:Young Offenders Institution
105:Young offenders Institution
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1525:Defunct prisons in England
414:The Ballad of Reading Gaol
231:Eastern State Penitentiary
22:The Ballad of Reading Gaol
18:
525:. Berkshire Record Office
421:Charles Thomas Wooldridge
299:Reading Borough Libraries
267:in both World Wars, as a
225:prison architecture. The
47:
35:
1449:Statue of Queen Victoria
1261:Royal Berkshire Hospital
883:(Waterside Press, 2007).
623:. BBC. 24 September 2010
170:and sits on the site of
168:Grade II listed building
1469:University War Memorial
1444:Statue of George Palmer
1414:Reading railway station
777:. BBC. 26 December 2020
755:. BBC. 18 November 2020
465:. BBC. 22 November 2013
312:project, funded by the
306:Berkshire Record Office
403:Notable former inmates
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733:. BBC. 2 October 2019
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295:Milton Keynes College
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154:, popularly known as
16:Former British prison
1515:History of Berkshire
1505:Prisons in Berkshire
1409:Reading Old Cemetery
1382:Leighton Park School
1367:Hospitium of St John
1215:St Laurence's Church
1174:Listed buildings in
211:George Gilbert Scott
186:Reading Gaol in 1844
85:51.45639°N 0.96389°W
1404:Queen Anne's School
1362:Holy Trinity Church
1312:Bath Road Reservoir
385:. Damian Jones of
81: /
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1484:West Memorial Hall
1307:All Saints' Church
1128:Wallingford Castle
946:South East England
872:Peter Southerton:
689:. BBC. 25 May 2016
645:. BBC. 5 June 2014
598:Legislation.gov.uk
573:. Getreading.co.uk
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227:Pentonville Prison
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131:HM Prison Services
90:51.45639; -0.96389
56:Reading, Berkshire
42:The prison in 2007
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1474:Vachel Almshouses
1459:Reading Town Hall
1434:St James's Church
1256:Reading Town Hall
1200:Greyfriars Church
1195:Chazey Court Barn
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1103:Canterbury Prison
851:. 12 January 2024
411:– author of poem
251:Cell occupied by
152:HM Prison Reading
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144:at justice.gov.uk
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803:. 5 March 2021
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853:. Retrieved
849:the Guardian
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235:Philadelphia
209:Designed by
208:
204:River Kennet
189:
156:Reading Gaol
155:
151:
150:
27:
21:
1464:Thames Lido
1352:High Bridge
1342:Crown Court
1236:Calcot Park
1057:Spring Hill
1015:Huntercombe
965:Bronzefield
944:Prisons in
671:10 February
627:5 September
577:5 September
433:Stacy Keach
427:Amelia Dyer
409:Oscar Wilde
253:Oscar Wilde
233:of 1829 in
215:Pentonville
88: /
63:Coordinates
31:HMP Reading
1499:Categories
1337:Coley Park
1302:Abbey Mill
1072:Winchester
975:Coldingley
970:Bullingdon
855:12 January
469:15 January
450:References
391:Matt Rodda
379:typewriter
356:Matt Rodda
265:internment
127:Managed by
76:00°57′50″W
73:51°27′23″N
1347:Elm Lodge
1224:Grade II*
1067:Swaleside
1047:Rochester
1042:Maidstone
1030:Parkhurst
1010:High Down
960:Aylesbury
549:Instagram
223:Victorian
219:cruciform
192:Berkshire
1295:Grade II
1077:Woodhill
985:Downview
801:BBC News
781:17 March
759:17 March
715:17 March
383:Bob Ross
371:graffiti
349:Artangel
52:Location
1183:Grade I
1176:Reading
1086:Defunct
1005:Grendon
829:6 March
807:6 March
737:13 July
649:22 July
554:6 March
529:13 July
507:13 July
437:cocaine
373:artist
320:Closure
269:borstal
217:with a
196:Reading
178:History
160:Reading
142:Reading
137:Website
1025:Albany
995:Elmley
953:Active
693:26 May
375:Banksy
330:Banksy
263:, for
119:Closed
111:Opened
1037:Lewes
1052:Send
1000:Ford
857:2024
831:2021
809:2021
783:2021
761:2021
739:2020
717:2021
695:2016
673:2016
651:2014
629:2013
607:2019
579:2013
556:2021
531:2020
509:2020
471:2017
291:open
122:2014
114:1844
387:NME
1501::
847:.
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547:.
498:.
494:.
479:^
340:.
301:.
206:.
174:.
1167:e
1160:t
1153:v
937:e
930:t
923:v
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