Reading

Reading is a large town at the confluence of the River Kennet and the River Thames, 65km (40 miles) west of London, and it is the largest town in the United Kingdom that does not have city status.

Reading has a rich history and in the 12th century, Reading Abbey was considered one of the most important sites in England and the town was known throughout medieval Europe.

Famous figures associated with Reading include Jane Austen, who attended school in Reading between 1784 and 1786 and Oscar Wilde who was famously imprisoned at Reading Gaol from 1895 to 1897.

Reading was home to the Huntley and Palmers biscuit company, and for a while, it was dubbed ‘biscuit town’. It is where the Nice biscuit was invented and Huntley and Palmers also produced biscuits for Captain Scott’s Antarctic expedition.

Sights in Reading include Reading Museum, which has a Victorian-era copy of the Bayeux Tapestry, the ruins of the 12th-century Reading Abbey and the Museum of English Rural Life. You can also visit Basildon Park, a grand country house just 13km (8 miles) northwest of the town centre.

Coming and going

Reading has excellent transport connections with other cities in England.

Reading railway station’s location on the main railway line out of London Paddington make the train the quickest and easiest way to arrive at and depart from Reading. However, there are also bus connections to nearby towns including Reading Buses route 127 to Maidenhead; routes 3, 3b, 4, X4, 128 and 129 to Wokingham and routes 800 and 850 to High Wycombe as well as Thames Travel bus route X38 to Henley-on-Thames and routes X38, X39 and X40 to Oxford.

If you’re driving, you may find it easier to park at the park and ride facility at Winnersh Triangle, just off the A329 (M) motorway, and either catch a train or bus route 500 into the town centre.

Sights and activities in Reading

Places to stay in Reading