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Reading is a bustling commercial centre at the heart of Britain's "Silicon Alley".
It is unprepossessing at first sight but has a long and interesting history.
Reading is pronounced "redding" and is thought to owe its name to the old Saxon 'Readingas' (rey-ad-ing-as), or the 'people of Read', Read being the name of a local Saxon leader.
Reading was of historic importance as it marked the spot where the River Thames and the River Kennet joined. As a natural crossing point of the River Thames, archaeologists have searched for a Roman past, but the Roman town was actually located in nearby Silchester, now abandoned.
Reading was founded in AD530. It was the site of a battle between Ethelred and Alfred against the Danes in 870.
Its Abbey was built in 1121 by Henry 1st who was later buried under the altar. During the Dissolution of the Monasteries, under Henry the 8th, the abbot was hanged from the Abbey. The abbey ruins are a romantic reminder of the town's past hidden amongst the office blocks and concrete of the modern town centre.
Reading gained its charter in 1638 from Archbishop William Laud - later executed. It came out in favour of Parliament in the Civil War and so was occupied by the Royalists.
Jane Austen is probably Reading's most famous pupil, attending the old Reading Ladies Boarding school for 18 months in 1785-1786.
The current Reading prison was built in 1844 and used to have turrets and towers like a castle. It is most famous for incarcerating Oscar Wilde who wrote "The Ballad of Reading Gaol" once released.
Reading University was originally founded as a School of Art in 1860, but became a University in 1926. Strangely enough, Reading was once host to Oxford University which wanted to stay in the town, but Reading did not want it, so it returned to Oxford.
Today, Reading is a bustling town in the centre of Britain's silicon alley. It bears the remnants of its history in the form of the abbey ruins and old churches, and a number of coaching inns. But much of Reading today is either Victorian or modern.
Local Attractions
These days, Reading is an important transport hub from where it is easy to travel to many places of cultural and historic interest. These include:
Legoland Windsor (16km) is a family theme park with over 50 interactive schools and attractions. Ideal for children aged 2 - 12 years.
Windsor Castle (16 km)- home to Queen Elizabeth II.
Oxford: (25 minutes by fast train)
London (22 minutes to Paddington by fast train)
Bracknell - original film location for 4 Privet Drive (10 miles)
You can also visit VisitBritain.com for more ideas on places to visit.
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