For many walkers, the idea of detouring to visit the centre of Reading might seem quite bonkers! But, you’d be surprised at what can be found other than the Reading railroad. After all, Reading Abbey was, at one time, one of the most important sites in the country: playing host to parliament and the king.
From Reading Bridge, follow the road under the railway to the roundabout and cross into Forbury Gardens. Here you will see a monument to those who fell in the Battle of Maiwand in the second Afghan War of 1878-1880.
On the far side of the gardens you will see Reading Abbey Gateway. This was the original entrance to the abbey but is, in fact, mostly a reconstruction dating back to 1861. The architect responsible was Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, who also gave us the bridge at Clifton Hampden as well as the building next door!
There was once a school in the rooms above the gateway where a certain Jane Austen was taught.
To the east of the entrance can be found the remains of the Abbey. Do spend a few moments wandering around. The remains of Henry I are believed to be here – although nothing substantive has been discovered. If you can picture the abbey stretching from the gateway to where the altar was, you realise just how large the structure was. Ancillary buildings then branch off to the south towards the canal.
At the foot of the abbey ruins is the Kennet Canal which links Reading with Bristol. Before the advent of the Great Western Railway it was the way goods were traded with the Americas. But in Reading it existed as far back as medieval times with the monks controlling the traffic and collecting duties on goods coming up from London.
If you turn left and follow the canal you will find yourself on the Oscar Wilde Memorial Walk, a rather pathetic tribute to the great writer who was incarcerated in the building on your left: Reading Gaol.
A better tribute can be found by taking a two minute walk to your left to the roundabout where you will see a mural on the prison walls of Wilde escaping with a typewriter. The work, produced by none other than Banksy, was designed to draw awareness to the campaign to convert Reading Gaol, which is for sale by the Ministry of Justice, into an arts centre.
Retrace your steps to the right bank of the Kennet Canal, taking care not to follow the left branch which will take you to a dead end. The riverside walk is pleasant, once industrial but now mostly residential. You will pass the site of the old Huntley and Palmer biscuit factory which gave Reading one of its “three B’s”, the others being brewing and bulbs (of the plant variety).
There are two pubs along the way: the Fisherman’s Cottage is well worth a visit; but the Jolly Anglers is not to be recommended.
Shortly after passing under the Great Western Railway, the Kennet exits into the Thames and you are reunited with the Thames Path.
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