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Encyclopedia > Reading, Berkshire
Reading

Reading shown within the United Kingdom
Population borough 143,096 (2001)
Urban sub-area 232,662 (2001)
OS grid reference SU713733
Unitary authority Reading Borough
Wokingham Borough
West Berkshire
Ceremonial county Berkshire
Region South East
Constituent country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town READING
Postcode district RG1, RG2, RG4 - RG8, RG10, RG11, RG30, RG31
Dialling code 0118
Police Thames Valley
Fire Royal Berkshire
Ambulance South Central
UK Parliament Reading East
Reading West
European Parliament South East England
List of places: UKEnglandBerkshire

Coordinates: 51°27′15″N 0°58′23″W / 51.4541, -0.973 Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x800, 11 KB) Summary Description: A blank map of the United Kingdom, with country outline and coastline; contact the author for help with modifications or add-ons Source: Reference map provided by Demis Mapper 6 Date: 2006-21-06 Author: User... Image File history File links Red_pog2. ... The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude. ... The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Wokingham. ... West Berkshire is a local government district in Berkshire, South East England, governed by a unitary authority (West Berkshire Council). ... The Ceremonial counties of England are areas of England that are appointed a Lord-Lieutenant, and are defined by the government with reference to the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The region, also known as Government Office Region, is currently the highest tier of local government subnational entity of England in the United Kingdom. ... South East England is one of the nine official regions of England. ... Constituent countries is a phrase used, often by official institutions, in contexts in which a number of countries make up a larger entity or grouping; thus the OECD has used the phrase in reference to the former Yugoslavia[1], the Soviet Union and European institutions such as the Council of... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This is an alphabetical list of the sovereign states of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states. ... A post town is a required part of all UK postal addresses. ... UK postal codes are known as postcodes. ... The RG postcode area is a group of postal districts centered on Reading and Basingstoke in Southern England. ... The UK telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Numbering Plan, is regulated by the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which replaced the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel) in 2003. ... Thames Valley Police is one of the largest Home Office police services in England and the largest non-metropolitan one, covering 2200 sq mi (5,700 km²) and a population of 2. ... A Fire Appliance belonging to the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service The fire service in the United Kingdom has undergone dramatic changes since the beginning of the 21st century, a process that has been propelled by a devolution of central government powers, new legislation and a change to operational... The Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service is a statutory fire and rescue service covering the area of the ceremonial county of Berkshire in England. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust is the authority responsible for providing NHS ambulance services in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire, Portsmouth, and Southampton, in the South East England region. ... The United Kingdom House of Commons is made up of Members of Parliament (MPs). ... Reading East is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Reading West is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... This is a list of Members of the European Parliament for the United Kingdom in the 2004 to 2009 session, ordered by name. ... South East England is a constituency of the European Parliament. ... List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in England Lists of places within counties List of places in Bedfordshire List of places in Berkshire List of places in Buckinghamshire List of places in Cambridgeshire List of places in Cheshire List of places in Cleveland List of places... This is a list of settlements in Berkshire, England. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...


Reading is a town, unitary authority (the Borough of Reading) and urban area in the English county of Berkshire. It is located at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, midway between London and Swindon off the M4 motorway. The name Reading is pronounced to rhyme with bedding (in IPA /ˈrɛdɪŋ/). Ronda, Spain Main street in Bastrop, Texas, United States, a small town A town is a community of people ranging from a few hundred to several thousands, although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan areas. ... A unitary authority is a type of local authority, which has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the River Thames in southern England. ... The Kennet is a river in the south east of England, and a tributary of the River Thames. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... , For other places with the same name, see Swindon (disambiguation). ... The M4 motorway is a motorway in Great Britain linking London with Wales. ... The symbols of the International Phonetic Alphabet can be used to show pronounciation in English. ...


Reading was an important national centre in the medieval period, as the site of an important monastery with strong royal connections, but suffered serious economic damage during the 17th century from which it took a long time to recover. Today it is again an important commercial centre, with strong links to information technology and insurance. It is also a university town, with two universities and a large student population. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... Information and communication technology spending in 2005 Information technology (IT), as defined by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), is the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware. ... Insurance, in law and economics, is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent loss. ...

Contents

Geography

Location

Reading is located some 66 km (41 miles) due west of central London, 48 km (30 miles) southeast of Oxford and 64 km (40 miles) east of Swindon. The centre of Reading is on a low ridge between the Rivers Thames and Kennet close to their confluence, reflecting the town's history as a river port. Just before the confluence, the Kennet cuts through a narrow steep-sided gap in the hills forming the southern flank of the Thames flood plain. The absence of a floodplain on the Kennet in this defile enabled the development of wharves. Oxford is a city and local government district in Oxfordshire, England, with a population of 134,248 (2001 census). ... , For other places with the same name, see Swindon (disambiguation). ... This article is about the River Thames in southern England. ... The Kennet is a river in the south east of England, and a tributary of the River Thames. ...


As Reading has grown, its suburbs have spread in three directions:

  • to the west between the two rivers into the foothills of the Berkshire Downs,
  • to the south and south-east on the south side of the Kennet, and
  • to the north of the Thames into the Chiltern Hills.

However outside the central area, the floors of the valley containing the two rivers remain largely unimproved floodplain, subject to occasional flooding. Apart from one road across the Kennet floodplain, and the M4 looping to the south, the only routes between the three built-up areas are in the central area, creating road congestion there. The North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is located in the English counties of Berkshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire. ... The Chiltern Hills are a chalk escarpment in south east England. ... This picture shows the flood plain following a 1 in 10 year flood on the Isle of Wight. ... The M4 motorway is a motorway in Great Britain linking London with Wales. ...


Reading has its own subregional catchment area, incorporating the towns of Wokingham, Bracknell and Twyford, plus large villages such as Pangbourne, Theale, Winnersh, Burghfield and Shiplake. It has been suggested that Wokingham (borough) be merged into this article or section. ... Charles Square, Bracknell , Bracknell is a town in the Bracknell Forest borough of the English county of Berkshire. ... Twyford is a small town and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. ... // Pangbourne village centre Pangbourne is a large village and civil parish on the River Thames in the English county of Berkshire. ... Theale High Street The Old Brewery in Theale The Falcon pub in Theale Theale is a large village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. ... , Winnersh is a village and civil parish, a part of Wokingham Borough, in the English county of Berkshire. ... Burghfield is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England. ... Shiplake (and Lower Shiplake) is a village in Oxfordshire, England on the River Thames, near Henley-on-Thames and opposite the village of Wargrave. ...

Destinations from READING
Pangbourne, Didcot, Abingdon, Oxford, Whitchurch-on-Thames Henley-on-Thames
 
Twyford, Maidenhead, High Wycombe
Theale, Newbury, Swindon
N
W E
S
Bracknell, Slough, Staines, London
Basingstoke, Winchester Burghfield, Fleet
 
Wokingham, Farnborough, Aldershot, Woking

// Pangbourne village centre Pangbourne is a large village and civil parish on the River Thames in the English county of Berkshire. ... Statistics Population: 25,231 Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: SU525900 Administration District: South Oxfordshire Shire county: Oxfordshire Region: South East England Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: Oxfordshire Historic county: Berkshire Services Police force: Thames Valley Police Ambulance: South Central Post office and telephone Post town... , Abingdon (traditionally known as Abingdon-on-Thames) is a market town in Oxfordshire in Southern England. ... Oxford is a city and local government district in Oxfordshire, England, with a population of 134,248 (2001 census). ... Whitchurch-on-Thames is a village and civil parish on the River Thames in the English county of Oxfordshire. ... , Henley-on-Thames is a town on the north side of the River Thames in south Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead. ... Twyford is a small town and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. ... Statistics Population: 58,848 (2001) Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: SU889811 Administration District: Windsor and Maidenhead Region: South East England Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: Berkshire Historic county: Berkshire Services Police force: Thames Valley Ambulance service: South Central Post office and telephone Post town: MAIDENHEAD... // The world renound retard, jack milner, has been said to be living in the retarded town just west of high wycombe known as down syndromly. ... Theale High Street The Old Brewery in Theale The Falcon pub in Theale Theale is a large village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. ... Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. ... , For other places with the same name, see Swindon (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Charles Square, Bracknell , Bracknell is a town in the Bracknell Forest borough of the English county of Berkshire. ... Slough (pronounced ) is a town and unitary authority (Borough of Slough) in England. ... Staines is a Thames-side town in the Spelthorne borough of Surrey and part of the London Commuter Belt of South East England. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Basingstoke railway station, as seen from Alençon Link. ... Winchester is a historic city in southern England, with a population of around 40,000 within a 3 mile radius of its centre. ... Burghfield is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England. ... Fleet is a town in the county of Hampshire in the south-east of England, located 38 miles (61 km) south west of London. ... It has been suggested that Wokingham (borough) be merged into this article or section. ... Farnborough is a town in the Hampshire borough of Rushmoor in South East England. ... Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland approximately 55 km (35 miles) southwest of London. ... , See Woking (borough) for the administrative district. ...

Definition

It should be noted that, depending on the definition adopted, neither the town nor the urban area are necessarily co-terminous with the borough.


Thus, the borough has a population of 144,000 in an area of 40.40 km², whilst the Office for National Statistics' definition of the urban area of Reading is significantly larger at 232,662 people in an area of 55.35 km². This latter area – sometimes referred to as Greater Reading – incorporates the town's eastern and western suburbs outside the borough, in the civil parishes of Earley, Woodley, Purley-on-Thames and Tilehurst (see below for further details). This urban area is itself a component of the Reading/Wokingham Urban Area. Reading is the 17th largest settlement in England, based on the population of the urban area.[1][2] Furthermore, except for London boroughs, it is the most populous settlement that does not have city status. To help compare sizes of different geographic regions, we list here areas between 10 km² (1000 hectares) and 100 km² (10,000 hectares). ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... Office for National Statistics logo The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is the United Kingdom government executive agency charged with the collection and publication of statistics related to the economy, population and society of the United Kingdom at national and local levels. ... To help compare sizes of different geographic regions, we list here areas between 10 km² (1000 hectares) and 100 km² (10,000 hectares). ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... Location within the British Isles Earley is a town in Berkshire, England with a population of around 30,000 people. ... Location within the British Isles Woodley is a town in the English county of Berkshire. ... Purley-on-Thames is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England. ... Tilehurst Water Tower , Tilehurst is a suburb, at grid reference SU667736, some three miles to the west of Reading town centre in the English county of Berkshire. ... The Reading/Wokingham Urban Area is a name given by the Office for National Statistics to a conurbation in Berkshire, England, with a population of 369,804 (2001 census), up 10. ... The administrative area of Greater London contains thirty-two London boroughs. ...


Historically, the town of Reading was smaller than the current borough, and has had several definitions over the years. Such definitions include the old ecclesiastical parishes of Reading St Mary, St Laurence and St Giles, or the even smaller pre-19th century borough.[3] A parish is a type of administrative subdivision. ...


Suburbs

Reading has a number of suburbs, both within the borough itself and within the surrounding urban area. The names and location of these suburbs are in general usage but, except where some of the outer suburbs correspond to civil parishes, there are no formally defined boundaries. The borough itself is unparished, and the wards used to elect the borough councillors generally ignore the accepted suburbs and use invented ward names. Housing subdivision near Union, Kentucky, a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio. ... A civil parish (usually just parish) in England is a subnational entity forming the lowest unit of local government, lower than districts or counties. ... A ward is an electoral district used in local politics, most notably in England, Scotland, and Wales, as well as Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa and many cities in the United States and the federal district of Washington, DC. Wards are usually named after neighbourhoods... A councillor is a member of a council (such as a city council), particularly in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and other parts of the Commonwealth. ...


The suburbs include:

Calcot is a suburb of Reading, near to Junction 12 of the M4 motorway, in the English county of Berkshire. ... Caversham is a suburb in the unitary authority of Reading, England, although, historically, Caversham was part of Oxfordshire. ... Caversham is a suburb in the unitary authority of Reading, England, although, historically, Caversham was part of Oxfordshire. ... Caversham Park is a historic house with parkland in the suburb of Caversham, on the outskirts of Reading, England. ... Coley or Coley Park is a suburb within Reading, Berkshire Categories: UK geography stubs | Suburbs of Reading ... Coley Park is a suburb within the town of Reading in the English county of Berkshire. ... Location within the British Isles Earley is a town in Berkshire, England with a population of around 30,000 people. ... Emmer Green is a village situated north of the River Thames, on the outskirts of Reading, Berkshire in the United Kingdom. ... Fords Farm is a suburb within Reading in the English county of Berkshire. ... Katesgrove is a suburb of Reading, Berkshire Categories: UK geography stubs | Suburbs of Reading ... Caversham is a suburb in the unitary authority of Reading, England, although, historically, Caversham was part of Oxfordshire. ... Location within the British Isles Earley is a town in Berkshire, England with a population of around 30,000 people. ... For the parsing algorithm, see Earley parser. ... Newtown, Reading is a suburb of Reading, Berkshire, situated in the east of the town between the Cemetery Junction and the River Kennet. ... Purley-on-Thames is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England. ... Southcote is a suburb of Reading in the English county of Berkshire. ... Tilehurst Water Tower , Tilehurst is a suburb, at grid reference SU667736, some three miles to the west of Reading town centre in the English county of Berkshire. ... Whitley is a large suburb to the south of Reading in the English county of Berkshire. ... Whitley Wood is a suburb to the south of Reading in the English county of Berkshire. ... Location within the British Isles Woodley is a town in the English county of Berkshire. ...

History

St Mary's Church and market
St Mary's Church and market
The Maiwand lion in Forbury Gardens — an unofficial symbol of Reading
The Maiwand lion in Forbury Gardens — an unofficial symbol of Reading

The settlement was founded at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet in the eighth century as Readingum. The name is probably from the Anglo-Saxon for "(Place of) Readda's People", or (less probably) the Celtic Rhydd-Inge, "Ford over the River". It was occupied by the Vikings after the Battle of Reading (871), but had recovered sufficiently by its 1086 Domesday Book listing to contain around 600 people and be made a designated borough. The town was a place of pilgrimage in medieval times to Reading Abbey. In 1253 Reading's Merchant Guild successfully petitioned for the grant of a charter from the King and negotiated a division of authority with the Abbey. The dissolution of the Abbey saw Henry VIII grant the Guild a new charter in 1542 with which to become a borough corporation to run the town. St Marys Church and Butts, Reading, Berkshire, England Photograph taken by chris_j_wood on the 16th April 2004, with original filename DCP_2093. ... St Marys Church and Butts, Reading, Berkshire, England Photograph taken by chris_j_wood on the 16th April 2004, with original filename DCP_2093. ... Image File history File linksMetadata 800px-Forbury_Gardens,_Reading. ... Image File history File linksMetadata 800px-Forbury_Gardens,_Reading. ... Combatants Great Britain Afghanistan Commanders George Burrows Ayub Khan Strength 5,599British/Indian troops 8,500 Afghan Tribesmen Casualties 1,757 killed 175 wounded[1] 2,050-2,750 killed 1,500+ wounded The Battle of Maiwand was one of the largest battles of the Second Anglo-Afghan War. ... (7th century — 8th century — 9th century — other centuries) Events The Iberian peninsula is taken by Arab and Berber Muslims, thus ending the Visigothic rule, and starting almost 8 centuries of Muslim presence there. ... Old English (also called Anglo-Penis[1], Englisc by its speakers) is an early form of the English language that was spoken in parts of what is now England and southern Scotland between the mid-fifth century and the mid-twelfth century. ... The Celtic languages are the languages descended from Proto-Celtic, or Common Celtic, a branch of the greater Indo-European language family. ... The name Viking is a loan from the native Scandinavian term for the Norse seafaring warriors who raided the coasts of Scandinavia, Europe and the British Isles from the late 8th century to the 11th century, the period of European history referred to as the Viking Age. ... On January 4, 871, Ethelred of Wessex and his brother Alfred attacked a Danish army which was invading Britain and was camped near Reading. ... A line drawing entitled Domesday Book from Andrew Williamss Historic Byways and Highways of Old England. ... This article is about the religious or spiritual journey. ... Reading Abbey Reading Abbey is a large, ruined abbey in Reading, Berkshire, founded by Henry I in 1121 for the salvation of my soul, and the souls of King William, my father, and of King William, my brother, and Queen Maud, my wife, and all my ancestors and successors. // History... A guild is an association of craftspeople in a particular trade. ... “Henry VIII” redirects here. ...


By the end of the 16th century Reading was the largest town in Berkshire, home to over 3,000 people. During the Medieval period and Tudor times Reading grew rich on its trade in cloth, as instanced by the fortune made by local merchant John Kendrick. The town played an important role during the English Civil War; it changed hands a number of times. Despite its fortifications, it had a Royalist garrison imposed on it in 1642. The subsequent siege by the Parliamentary forces succeeded in April 1643. However the taxes levied on the town by the garrison badly damaged its cloth trade, and it did not recover. Reading was also the only site of significant fighting in England during the Revolution of 1688 with the Battle of Reading. John Kendrick (1573-1624) was a prosperous clothing merchant. ... For other uses, see English Civil War (disambiguation). ... Fortifications (Latin fortis, strong, and facere, to make) are military constructions designed for defensive warfare. ... Combatants Parliamentary army Royalist garrison Commanders Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex Sir Arthur Aston King Charles I Prince Rupert Strength 16,000+ 2,000+ See also: Battle of Reading (871) and Battle of Reading (1688) The Siege of Reading refers to the English Civil War military campaign waged to... The Glorious Revolution (1688-1689), also known as the bloodless revolution, is an event in which the Stuart king James II (James VII of Scotland) was removed from his thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland, and replaced by William of the House of Orange and his wife and joint sovereign... The Battle of Reading in 1688 was the only substantial military action on mainland Britain during the Glorious Revolution. ...


The 18th century saw the beginning of a major iron works in the town and the growth of the brewing trade for which Reading was to become famous. Agricultural products from the surrounding area still used Reading as a market place, especially at the famous Reading cheese fair but now trade was coming in from a wider area. Reading's trade benefited from better designed turnpike roads which helped its establish its location on the major coaching routes from London to Oxford and the west country. It also gained from increasing river traffic on both the Thames and Kennet. In 1723 despite considerable local opposition the Kennet Navigation opened the River Kennet to boats as far as Newbury. This opposition stopped when it became apparent the new route benefited the town. The opening of the Kennet and Avon Canal in 1810 made it possible to go by barge from Reading to the Bristol Channel. Iron Works was a name applied in the 19th century to heavy industrial manufactories whose output products were primarily built of iron and/or steel. ... A 16th century brewer A 21st century brewer This article concerns the production of alcoholic beverages. ... A toll road, turnpike or tollpike is a road on which a toll authority collects a fee for use. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Oxford is a city and local government district in Oxfordshire, England, with a population of 134,248 (2001 census). ... The West Country is an informal term for the area of south-western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. ... The canal at Bathampton, near Bath The Kennet and Avon Canal is a canal in southern England. ... Satellite view of the Bristol Channel Map of the Bristol Channel The Bristol Channel (Welsh: ) is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from the West Country and extending from the lower estuary of the River Severn (Afon Hafren) to that part of the North...


In 1801, the population of Reading was about 9,400. During the 19th century, Reading grew rapidly as a manufacturing centre. Reading maintained its representation by two Members of Parliament with the Reform Act 1832, and the borough was one of the ones reformed as a municipal borough by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835. In 1836 the Reading Borough Police were founded. The Great Western Railway arrived in 1841, followed by the South Eastern Railway, in 1849, and the London and South Western Railway, in 1856. The Reading Establishment, an early commercial photographic studio, operated in Reading from 1844 to 1847 and was managed by Nicholaas Henneman, a Dutchman and former valet of William Henry Fox Talbot (a pioneer of photography).[4] Many of the images for The Pencil of Nature by Fox Talbot, the first book to be illustrated with photographic prints, were printed in Reading. Manufacturing (from Latin manu factura, making by hand) is the use of tools and labor to make things for use or sale. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ... The Representation of the People Act 1832, commonly known as the Reform Act 1832, was an Act of Parliament that introduced wide-ranging changes to the electoral system of the United Kingdom. ... A borough is a political division originally used in England. ... The Municipal Reform Act 1835 required members of town councils (municipal corporations) to be elected by ratepayers and councils to publish their financial accounts. ... The Reading Borough Police was a police force for the borough of Reading in the United Kingdom. ... The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ... The London and Greenwich Railway (LGR) and the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway (CWR) in East Kent were the earliest railways to serve the then county of Kent: eventually both became parts of the South Eastern Railway (SER). ... Waterloo Station The London and South Western Railway (L&SWR) was a railway company in England from 1840 to 1923. ... This article concerns the Dutch as an ethnic group. ... William Henry Fox Talbot William Henry Fox Talbot (February 11, 1800 – September 17, 1877) was an early photographer who made major contributions to the photographic process. ... The Pencil of Nature, published in six installments between 1844 and 1846, was the first book to be illustrated entirely with photographs and is regarded as an important and influential work in the history of photography. ...


In 1851 the population was 21,500. The town became the County Town (superseding Abingdon[5]) in 1867 and became a county borough under the Local Government Act 1888. By 1900, the population was 59,000 — large sections of the housing in Reading are terraced, reflecting its 19th century growth. The town has been famous for the "Three Bs" of beer (from 1785 dominated by the Simonds' Brewery - India Pale Ale was invented in Reading), bulbs (18071976, Suttons Seeds), and biscuits (18221977, Huntley & Palmers). In the 19th century the town also made 'Reading Sauce', described as a sharp sauce flavoured with onions, spices, and herbs, very like Worcestershire Sauce. , Abingdon (traditionally known as Abingdon-on-Thames) is a market town in Oxfordshire in Southern England. ... County borough was a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom to refer to a borough or a city independent of county administration. ... The Local Government Act 1888 (51 & 52 Vict. ... A street of British Victorian/Edwardian terraced homes. ... For other uses, see Beer (disambiguation). ... The Simonds Brewery was a brewery based in Reading in the English county of Berkshire. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Shallot bulbs A bulb is an underground vertical shoot that has modified leaves (or thickened leaf bases) that is used as food storage organs by a dormant plant. ... Year 1807 (MDCCCVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar). ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Suttons Seeds is a long established supplier of seeds, bulbs, and other horticultural products. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... 1822 (MDCCCXXII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... Huntley & Palmers was a well known British firm of biscuit makers based in Reading, Berkshire. ... 1900 advertisement Worcestershire sauce (IPA: (wuster-shur or wuster-sheer)) is a widely used fermented liquid condiment originally manufactured by Lea & Perrins, in Midland Road, Worcester, England. ...


The town continued to expand in the 20th century, annexing Caversham across the River Thames in Oxfordshire in 1911. This expansion can be seen in the number of 1920s built semi-detached properties, and the 1950s expansion that joined Woodley, Earley and Tilehurst into Reading. Miles Aircraft in Woodley was an important local firm from the 1930s to 1950s. The Lower Earley development, started in the 1970s, was the largest private housing development in Europe. This extended the urban area of Reading up to the M4 motorway, which acts as the southern boundary to the town. Further housing developments have increased the number of modern commuter houses in the surrounding parts of Reading, and 'out-of-town' shopping hypermarkets. Caversham is a suburb in the unitary authority of Reading, England, although, historically, Caversham was part of Oxfordshire. ... Oxfordshire (abbreviated Oxon, from the Latinised form Oxonia) is a county in the South East of England, bordering on Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire. ... Semi-detached housing (usually abbreviated to semi, as in three-bedroom semi) consists of pairs of houses built side by side as units sharing a party wall and usually in such a way that each houses layout is a mirror image of its twin. ... Location within the British Isles Woodley is a town in the English county of Berkshire. ... Location within the British Isles Earley is a town in Berkshire, England with a population of around 30,000 people. ... Tilehurst Water Tower , Tilehurst is a suburb, at grid reference SU667736, some three miles to the west of Reading town centre in the English county of Berkshire. ... Miles Aircraft was a British manufacturer of light civil and military aircraft. ... In commerce, a hypermarket (from the French hypermarché) is a store which combines a supermarket and a department store. ...


The local shopping centre, The Oracle, built in 1999, is named after the 17th century workhouse founded by John Kendrick which previously occupied the site. The original 'Oracle' gates can be seen in the Museum of Reading in the town hall. It provides 3 storeys of shopping and boosted the local economy by providing 4,000 jobs. Reading has also made itself more appealing to tourists by pedestrianising Broad street Broad Street frontage The Oracle is a large indoor shopping and leisure mall located on the banks of the River Kennet in central Reading, UK. It takes its name from a seventeenth century workhouse that once occupied part of the site built by funds from a local man John Kendrick. ... Former workhouse at Nantwich, dating from 1780 A workhouse was a place where people who were unable to support themselves could go to live and work. ... John Kendrick (1573–1624) was a prosperous English cloth merchant and patron of the towns of Reading and Newbury in Berkshire. ... The Museum of Reading is located in the old Town Hall in Reading in the English county of Berkshire. ... For the railway station in Sydney, Australia, see Town Hall railway station, Sydney. ...


Government

Borough of Reading
Reading
Geography
Status: Unitary, Borough
Region: South East England
Ceremonial County: Berkshire
Area:
- Total
Ranked 318th
40.40 km²
Admin. HQ: Reading
ONS code: 00MC
Demographics
Population:
- Total (2005 est.)
- Density
Ranked 115th
145,100
3,592 / km²
Ethnicity: 86.8% White
5.2% S.Asian
4.1% Afro-Carib
0.7% Chinese.
Politics

http://www.reading.gov.uk/
Leadership: Leader & Cabinet
Executive: Labour
Mayor of Reading Councillor Bet Tickner

Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The region, also known as Government Office Region, is currently the highest tier of local government subnational entity of England in the United Kingdom. ... South East England is one of the nine official regions of England. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Area is the measure of how much exposed area any two dimensional object has. ... This is a list of districts of England ordered by area. ... To help compare sizes of different geographic regions, we list here areas between 10 km² (1000 hectares) and 100 km² (10,000 hectares). ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... The Office for National Statistics coding system is a hierarchical code used in the United Kingdom for tabulating census and other statistical data. ... For other uses, see Density (disambiguation). ... The figures are mid-year estimates for 2005, unless otherwise stated, from the Office for National Statistics [1]. See also: List of towns and cities in England by population - List of English counties by population - List of ceremonial counties of England by population - List of English districts by area - List... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The United Kingdom is divided into four parts, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. ... The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom. ... In the United Kingdom, the office of Mayor or Lord Mayor (Provost and Lord Provost in Scotland) had long been ceremonial posts, with little or no duties attached to it. ...

Local government

Reading has had some degree of local government autonomy since 1253 when the local merchant guild was granted a royal charter. Over the years since then the town has been run by a borough corporation, as a county borough, and as a district of Berkshire. The Borough of Reading became a unitary authority area in 1998 when Berkshire County Council was abolished under the Banham Review, and is now responsible for all aspects of local government within the borough.[6] A guild is an association of craftspeople in a particular trade. ... A Royal Charter is a charter given by a monarch to legitimize an incorporated body, such as a city, company, university or such. ... Look up Borough in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... County borough was a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom to refer to a borough or a city independent of county administration. ... The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. ... A unitary authority is a term used in a two-tier local government system to describe a unit of local government that operates as a single tier. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The structure of local government in the United Kingdom underwent large changes in the 1990s. ...


The borough council has bid for city status in several recent competitions but, as of 2007, these have all been unsuccessful. The application for city status is politically controversial, with some groups of residents strongly opposed, whilst others support the bid. Historically, city status in England and Wales was associated with the presence of a cathedral, such as York Minster. ...


Boundaries

Since 1887, the borough has included the former villages of Southcote and Whitley and small parts of Earley and Tilehurst.[7] By 1911, it also encompassed the Oxfordshire village of Caversham and still more of Tilehurst.[3] A small area of Mapledurham parish was added in 1977 and a small area of Eye and Dundsen parish in 1997.[3] However, as noted above, it still excludes several settlements that form a significant part of the current urban area. Oxfordshire (abbreviated Oxon, from the Latinised form Oxonia) is a county in the South East of England, bordering on Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire. ... Mapledurham is a small village and civil parish in the English county of Oxfordshire. ... A civil parish (usually just parish) in England is a subnational entity forming the lowest unit of local government, lower than districts or counties. ...


Reading's municipal boundaries are particularly old and constrained; and proposals occasionally surface to expand the borough to include them. It is believed that Reading's chances of receiving City Status would be substantially boosted if these suburbs were to be included within the borough. Historically, city status in England and Wales was associated with the presence of a cathedral, such as York Minster. ...


However, the constricted nature of the borough also creates more serious difficulties for the town, as it attempts to develop and grow. The diminishing amount suitable land within the borough's boundary can bring the council in to conflict with those neighbouring it, who in turn have their own priorities and requirements. The longest running example of this is the planned third crossing of the Thames. So far, South Oxfordshire's politicians and residents, whose primary concern is maintaining the non-urbanisation of their region, have successfully opposed this.[8] As a consequence, the debate has at times become somewhat acrimonious between the opposing sides, and little progress has been made.

"However, the process has been painfully slow and it appears that, for every two steps forwards, there are three steps backwards—mainly because of the view of South Oxfordshire district council, which is being incredibly parochial about this matter. Meanwhile, Reading borough council is adopting strategies that prioritise local traffic in Reading, obviously to the detriment of through traffic. We have now reached the point at which we desperately need direct Government intervention to break the logjam between those local authorities."
- Mr. Rob Wilson MP (Reading, East), House of Commons debate.[9]

National government

Reading has elected at least one Member of Parliament to every Parliament since 1295. Historically Reading was represented at various times by the members for the former Parliamentary Borough of Reading, and the members for the former parliamentary constituencies of Reading, Reading North, and Reading South. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ... Type Bicameral Houses House of Commons House of Lords Speaker of the House of Commons The Right Honourable Michael Martin MP Lord Speaker Hélène Hayman, Baroness Hayman, PC Members 1377 (646 Commons, 731 Peers) Political groups (as of May 5, 2005 elections) Labour Party Conservative Party Liberal Democrats... The Parliamentary Borough of Reading was a parliamentary borough represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Reading was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Reading North was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Reading South was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ...


Today Reading and the surrounding area is divided between the parliamentary constituencies of Reading East, represented by Rob Wilson, and Reading West, represented by Martin Salter. The whole of the town is within the multi-member South East England european constituency. Reading East is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Robert Wilson (born January 4, 1965 in south Oxfordshire) is a United Kingdom politician and entrepreneur. ... Reading West is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Martin John Salter is a United Kingdom politician and fisherman. ... South East England is a constituency of the European Parliament. ...


Town twinning

Reading is twinned with:[10] Sign denoting twin towns of Neckarsulm, Germany Town twinning is a concept whereby towns or cities in geographically and politically distinct areas are paired with the goal of fostering human contact and cultural links. ...

Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... The title of this article contains the character ü. Where it is unavailable or not desired, the name may be represented as Duesseldorf. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Ireland. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Irish Grid Reference S199229 Statistics Province: Munster County: Population (2002)  - Town:  - Rural: 16,910 Clonmel (Cluain Meala in Irish) is the largest inland town in the south of Republic of Ireland. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Nicaragua. ... San Francisco Libre is a municipality in the Managua department of Nicaragua. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Barbados. ... One of the larger cities of Barbados, along with Holetown and the capital Bridgetown. ...

Economy

Reading is an important commercial centre in Southern England and is often referred to as the capital of the Thames Valley, with the headquarters of some major British companies and the UK offices of a number of major foreign multinationals, especially in the IT industry, including ING Direct, Microsoft, Oracle, Sage, Xansa, Cisco, Symbol Technologies and Yell.com. Several of these are located at the Thames Valley Business Park. The north, the midlands and the south Southern England is an imprecise term used to refer to the southern counties of England. ... The Thames Valley is generally the region that drains into the River Thames, England, but is used in a more specific term by the government. ... ING Direct is a branchless direct bank with operations in Austria, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States. ... Microsoft Corporation, (NASDAQ: MSFT, HKSE: 4338) is a multinational computer technology corporation with global annual revenue of US$44. ... Oracle Corporation (NASDAQ: ORCL) is one of the major companies developing database management systems (DBMS), tools for database development, middle-tier software, enterprise resource planning software (ERP), customer relationship management software (CRM) and supply chain management (SCM) software. ... The Sage Group plc (LSE: SGE) is a leading UK based supplier of accounting, payroll, CRM and business management software (including manufacturing and construction-specific ranges) as well as related services to small and medium-sized enterprises (SME). ... Xansa (LSE:XAN) is an outsourcing and technology company, quoted on the London Stock Exchange. ... Cisco may refer to: Cisco Systems, a computer networking company Cisco IOS, an internet router operating system CISCO Security Private Limited, a security company in Singapore Commercial and Industrial Security Corporation, a statutory board in Singapore Abbreviation for San Francisco, California Cisco (wine) The Cisco Kid, a fictional character created... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Yell Group plc (LSE: YELL) is a British directory company, which is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index of leading British quoted companies. ... Thames Valley Park is a high-tech business park adjacent to the River Thames on the eastern outskirts of Reading in the English county of Berkshire. ...


Retail

Reading Broad Street
Reading Broad Street

Reading is a major shopping centre. The principal shopping area is around Broad Street, which was pedestrianised in 1995. Broad Street is anchored at its east and west ends respectively by The Oracle and Broad Street Mall enclosed shopping centres. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1080x720, 200 KB)Broad Street, the main shopping street of Reading Photograph taken by chris_j_wood on the 19th March 2005, with original filename DCP_3648. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1080x720, 200 KB)Broad Street, the main shopping street of Reading Photograph taken by chris_j_wood on the 19th March 2005, with original filename DCP_3648. ... Broad Street frontage The Oracle is a large indoor shopping and leisure mall located on the banks of the River Kennet in central Reading, UK. It takes its name from a seventeenth century workhouse that once occupied part of the site built by funds from a local man John Kendrick. ... The Broad Street Mall is a large indoor shopping mall located in central Reading in England. ...


There are three major department stores in Reading: John Lewis Reading (formerly known as Heelas), Debenhams and House of Fraser. There are also branches of the chains Marks and Spencers, Bhs, H&M, Primark and UNIQLO. The interior of a typical Macys department store. ... The front of the store on Broad Street. ... Debenhams plc (LSE: DEB) is a retailer with a chain of department stores based in the United Kingdom. ... House of Fraser is a British department store group with 61 stores (July 2007) across the country. ... Marks and Spencer plc (known also as M&S and sometimes colloquially as Marks and Sparks) is the largest retailer in the United Kingdom by sales. ... For other uses of the abbreviation, see BHS Bhs (also trading as British Home Stores and formerly BHS and BhS) is a stalwart department store of the British High Street, selling clothing and household items (such as bedlinen, cutlery, crockery and lighting). ... For the former railroad, see Hudson and Manhattan Railroad. ... Primark Stores Limited is a clothing retailer in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland and Spain. ... UNIQLO is a casual clothing chain store franchise owned by Fast Retailing and based in Japan. ...


The booksellers Waterstone's have two branches in Reading. Their Broad Street branch is of particular interest, as it is a remarkable conversion of a nonconformist chapel dating from 1707. Gower Street branch Waterstones Piccadilly branch, Europes largest bookshop Waterstones is a United Kingdom based chain of bookshops. ... The frontage building on Broad Street The interior of the 1707 chapel Waterstones, Broad Street, Reading is a branch of the Waterstones chain of bookshops, located in the principal shopping street of Reading in England. ... A nonconformist is an English or Welsh Protestant of any non-Anglican denomination, chiefly advocating religious liberty. ... A chapel is a private church, usually small and often attached to a larger institution such as a college, a hospital, a palace, or a prison. ...


Besides the two major shopping malls, Reading possesses three smaller shopping arcades, the Bristol & West Arcade, Harris Arcade and The Walk, which contain smaller specialist stores.


The Oracle shopping centre has put Reading on the national map as one of the top ten retail destinations in the UK since it regularly attracts over 250,000 people passing through on a Saturday alone. It plays host to a number of major retailers which had previously not been present in the town. The name sometimes causes confusion with the unrelated Oracle IT company, whose UK headquarters are situated in Reading. Broad Street frontage The Oracle is a large indoor shopping and leisure mall located on the banks of the River Kennet in central Reading, UK. It takes its name from a seventeenth century workhouse that once occupied part of the site built by funds from a local man John Kendrick. ... Oracle Corporation (NASDAQ: ORCL) is one of the major companies developing database management systems (DBMS), tools for database development, middle-tier software, enterprise resource planning software (ERP), customer relationship management software (CRM) and supply chain management (SCM) software. ...


Institutions

Religion

Reading Abbey
Reading Abbey

Reading Minster, or the Minster Church of St Mary the Virgin as it is more properly known, is Reading's oldest ecclesiastical foundation, known to have been founded by the 9th century and possibly earlier. Although eclipsed in importance by the later Abbey, Reading Minster has regained its importance since the destruction of the Abbey and is now the seat of the Bishop of Reading. The other two ancient parish churches in the town are those dedicated to St Giles and St Laurence. Image File history File links Readin