This and several other pieces of carved Caen stone were excavated in Canterbury in the 1980s. Professor Deborah Kahn has suggested that originally they may have been part of the early decoration ...

Many of these were made of Caen stone, which was valuable building material from Normandy in France. After Reading Abbey was dissolved by Henry VIII much of this stonework was sold for re-use ...

These parts were rebuilt with Portland and Caen stone to match the old stonework. The cloisters and upper oratory are now used as offices and writing rooms.