This post features: Reading, Maidenhead, Highclere, Windsor, Speen, Horton, Eton, Lower Basildon, Aldworth and Avington
Reading
Town Hall and Museum:
Reading town hall is impressive. Not on the scale of Bradford or Rochdale but the Alfred Waterhouse design of 1875 is still lovely. The town hall is also home to Reading Museum that has a full-size copy of the Bayeux TapestryThe town hall incorporates the original built in 1786, now known as the Victoria Hall – which is perverse given that George III was monarch at the time…The Bayeux Tapestry – well, some of it – the replica was commissioned in 1885 and the embroidery was undertaken by the 35 women who were members of the Leak Embroidery Society. It took a year to create. Upon completion it was toured around the country and to the USA. In 1895 it was on display in Reading and a former mayor bought it for the town…This section depicts the deaths of Harold’s brothers Leofwine and GyrthThis scene depicts the death (or deaths) of Harold – seemingly killed by an arrow in the eye as well as being hacked to death by a knight…
St Mary’s Church:
St Mary’s – Reading Minster – dates from the 12th century but was re-built during the 1550s using material from the dissolved abbey. It underwent further alterations in the 18th and 19th centuriesSt Mary’s – Reading Minster
The Forbury Lion:
The Forbury Lion
The Abbey:
The Abbey Gatehouse was restored by George Gilbert Scott in 1861…The abbey was founded in 1121 by Henry IIt was destroyed in 1539, during the dissolution, by arch-vandal Henry VIII. Not satisfied with destroying the abbey, he also had Abbot Hugh executed…It’s likely that King Henry I was buried in front of the main altar. and it is believed the site may be covered by a nursery school, and his grave could have become their drainage system…https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-37340498
The Museum of Rural Life:
The Museum of English Rural Life, founded in 1951, is part of Reading University https://merl.reading.ac.uk/An old International Harvester tractor with an equally old Ransome’s plough in frontThe museum has lots of old ploughs, agricultural equipment and carts – like this one…
The Town:
The Royal Berkshire Hospital opened in 1839 on land donated by Lord Sidmouth, a former Prime Minister…The church of St Laurence is now used as a youth centreThe W I Palmer Memorial Hall is dated 1887and built of brick and terracotta. WI Palmer was one of the partners in Huntly and Palmer Biscuits, a major local industry.The old Higgs Brewery (also known as the Lion Brewery) in Castle Street, ReadingA fine street – no architectural wonders, perhaps – but Reading must once have been a handsome townAlms HousesSome of Reading’s fine Victorian buildings are in a sad stateA fine Victorian building ruinedThe only Zinzan Street in the UK. It was created somewhere between 1840 and 1850 on land previously owned by the Zinzan family. The Zinzans are first recorded in Reading in 1514. In the seventeenth century, Henry Zinzan acquired Tilehurst Manor. His monument can be seen at St Michael’s church in Tilehurst. Henry was the eldest son of Sir Sigismund Zinzan, an equerry to Queen Elizabeth I and a tournament champion. To be “On Carey Street” in the common parlance of London town is to be in a problematic position usually associated with bankruptcy…The Nags HeadWhat a find: The Nags Head, Russell Street, Reading. They have a fantastic selection of local beers and ciders. It is away from the town centre and while always busy it is a welcoming, friendly place. Having a fine pint of Tillingbourne ANOB in the sunshineInside the Nags HeadSiren Brewery (Wokingham) has a very smart new bar on Friar Street – it opened in May 2024Banksy captured trying to escape from Reading Gaol…
Maidenhead
Kidwells Park:
The wonderful London Plane tree at the entrance to Kidwells ParkA lovely, sunny day in Kidwells Park, MaidenheadAutumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower (Camus)…Autumn – the year’s last, loveliest smile… (William Cullen Bryant)A rainbow over Kidwells Park in MaidenheadKidwells Park and the War Graves Commission buildingStorm clouds gather above Maidenhead. The concrete block is a BT building…Malevolent clouds over Maidenhead. “Damn your malevolence, Uranus” says Nephele. “I see your malevolence and raise you one benevolence…”An arboreal tragedy: someone has stripped the bark and poisoned this Copper Beach. The council knew who had done it but couldn’t prove it – so sad…The tree was later cut down, the stump retained and a Lime tree planted in its place…
The Railway Station
An old bus outside Maidenhead stationFlowers in memory – RIP Sir Nicholas Winton, who sadly died on 1st July 2015 at the age of 106. He was known for organising the rescue of 669 Czech children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia during the 9 months before war broke out in 1939.Maidenhead station looking forlorn, awaiting electrification and the arrival of Crossrail (the Elizabeth Line) September 2016: still waiting for the wires
All Saints:
Hidden gems – hidden in plain sight, that is: All Saints Church in Maidenhead was designed by George Edmund Street, the renowned Victorian architectThe exterior gives no clues as to the glorious interior – needless to say these pictures do not do it justiceThis is the grave of William Nicholson – who owned Nicholson’s Brewery in Maidenhead (bought by Courage: brewery closed in 1961) – the brewery was known as the Pineapple Brewery after the pineapple that was grown in nearby Dorney – the first pineapple grown in England…
The Town:
Sur le pont de Maidenhead, on y danse, on y danse, sur le pont de Maidenhead, on y danse tout en rond. The bridge across the River Thames dates from 1777. It was a toll bridge until 1903…Maidenhead United have been at their ground since 1871 and have been in the National League since 2017. Here to see the team lose: Maidenhead v Wealdstone – score: 0-1The exciting Christmas decorations in Maidenhead High Street. The high street was pedestrianised in the 1970s – prior to that it was part of the A4. By 1834 it was recorded that 823 coaches a day passed through Maidenhead the largest number passing through any town in England. A large area of the current conservation area was given over to coaching inns with gardens and stables, examples of which were the Red Lion and Bear Inn in the Lower High Street and the Saracen’s Head and White Hart in the upper part. Maidenhead was also home to four breweries, of which, Nicholson’s survived the longest and was located on the south side of the High Street. Desecration of the town began in In 1957 the mansion at St Ives Place was demolished and the present Town Hall built on the site, allowing the Guildhall to be demolished in 1962. This was followed by the building of the wholly inappropriate Berkshire House tower block and the demolition of the Nicholson’s brewery to create the dreary shopping centre…Breakfast outside The Bear on a sunny Sunday morningSunset over MaidenheadThe Nicholson Centre Tesco store closed in September 2020 – standing empty in November 2021
Long Overdue Regeneration:
Maidenhead town centre plans on display in the Nicholson CentreBridge Street development nearing completion in November 2021Five years after the proposals for the town’s regeneration were unveiled…Maidenhead looks more desolate than everMay 2024… The Walton Cottage Hotel demolished to make way for a McCarthy & Stone retirement homes complex Berkshire House – a hideous tower block built in the early 1970’s – is being turned into a block of flats…
From The Air:
Maidenhead in the sunshineJunction 8/9 on the M4 with Maidenhead in the background basking in the sunshine
Highclere Castle
Highclere Castle – the home of the Carnarvon family…Built in 1842 and designed by Sir Charles Barry – who was also the architect of the Houses of ParliamentLooking over Highclere from Beacon Hill (Hampshire branch) – an Iron Age fort…Looking over Highclere from Beacon Hill (Hampshire branch) – an Iron Age fort…The tomb of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, who – along with Howard Carter – discovered the tomb of Tutankhamen…Beacon Hill: 261m above sea level…
Windsor
Flying over Windsor Castle shortly before landing at Heathrow
Speen
Speen – a little village near Newbury, in Berkshire, became famous in May 1795 when local magistrates devised a variation on the Elizabethan Poor Law – this became known as the Speenhamland SystemSt Mary’s Church, SpeenMatthew 6:3 – now you know where governments and management get their mantra from… St Mary’s Church, Speen
Horton
John Milton lived in Horton from 1632 to 1638 – you can’t see the house from the roadHorton village church – St Michael – closed to visitors – I was hoping to see a reference to John Milton…
Eton
Eton School in the distanceThe school chapelEton College was founded in 1440 by Henry VI as “Kynge’s College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore”. Henry wanted his subjects to have the opportunities of gaining knowledge that he had enjoyed, and he made provision for 70 poor boys, known as King’s Scholars, to be housed and educated at Eton free of charge. How things have changed – I wonder what Henry VI would make of Eton today…A glorious strip of wild flowers on the road between Eton and Eton Wick
Lower Basildon
St Bartholomew’s, Lower Basildon…St Bartholomew’s, Lower Basildon…The grave of Jethro Tull (1674-1741) creator of the first seed drill and other inventions that revolutionised farmingMemorial to Harold and Ernest Deverell who drowned while swimming in the River Thames in 1886…
Aldworth
St Mary’s Church, Aldworth…St Mary’s Church, Aldworth…It is claimed that this Yew was planted in 464ad but more reliable estimates age it at around 1,000 years…The church contains 9 stone effigies – no other English church has more medieval monuments to one family – the De La Beche family (1300-1350)The church contains 9 stone effigies – no other English church has more medieval monuments to one family – the De La Beche family (1300-1350)It’s a bit creepy…
Avington
I wanted to visit St Mark and St Luke’s Church in Avington, as well. It is Berkshire’s most complete and unspoilt Norman Church – but it is now on private land so I couldn’t. This photo comes from the British Listed Buildings website…
