Reading
This page was last updated on: Tuesday, 10 September 2002
Reading (Town and Borough in Southern England),
administrative centre and county town of Berkshire, at the junction of the Thames and
Kennet rivers. The borough is an important agricultural centre, whose manufactured
products include machinery, metal products, and (until a few years ago) biscuits made by
Huntley & Palmer who started in 1826 and by 1900 employed some 5000 people. It is the
head quarters of Gillette (shaving products) in the
UK.
Population of Reading in 1996 was 142,900 and is twinned with Dusseldorf in Germany.
The earliest manufacturing was cloth in medieval times, and in the 19th century Reading became a famous factory town.
In Reading are the remains
of a Benedictine (medieval) abbey, founded here in 1121 by Henry I, the third of the
Norman Kings. It was originally a Clunaic Order, a reformed branch of the Benedictine
monks. The order derived its name from the Abbey of Cluny in Burgandy. The first Abbot
Hugh, formally Prior of Lewes, was appointed in 1123. By the middle of the thirteenth
century the abbey was regarded as Benedictine.
Reading
Museum (next to the Town hall in picture) houses a fine 1880 life-size copy of the Bayeux Tapestry The
borough is the seat of the University of Reading (1892) and a grammar school.
Town Mayor is R.J. Day.
The Danes occupied the site of present-day Reading in 871.
Built towards the end of the twelfth century, St Laurence's church was one of Readings three mediaeval churches. The north aisle was used by the inmates of the hospitium. The Compter Gate was built against the south wall of the church. This was the main entrance to the abbey and led into the Outer Court.
It was in Reading prison that Oscar Wilde wrote the long
letter he later published as De-Profundis, and his experiences here were later transformed
into a poem, "The Ballad of Reading Gaol".
This picture depicts Forbury Gardens once the site of Reading Gaol and hanging scaffold and earlier the abbey gardens.
Picture of the Corn Exchange in the Market Place in Reading
(date & details to follow)
The community was granted its first charter in 1253.
In 1643, during the English Civil War, Reading surrendered to the Parliamentarians.
Distance from London 36 miles via the M4 motorway.
The old Thames Water plc building in Vastern Road, Reading (demolished in Spring 1999)
Reading is currently seeking City status from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Buckingham Palace
Theale Village Shotokan Karate Club - Southern Shotokan Karate Association, located inside Theale Green School.
Reading Football Club & the new The Madejski Stadium (junction 11, M4)
Reading Borough Council READING BOROUGH COUNCIL
T.E. Lawrence (of Arabia) lost the bulk of his Seven Pillars of Wisdom manuscript here in Reading railway station shortly before it was due to be published in 1919. He re-wrote the whole book mainly from memory and a few notes.
Local radio station - 2TEN FM (ex radio 210)
Reading University (Whiteknights) since 1926, Full Time students 11,000 (95/6).
Another very informative page on Reading by J. Hobson
Any Suggestions or Requests for specific views of Reading? - Please email me
On-line since 8th June 1997
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