Discover Reading through its many historical layers, from the remains of Reading Abbey and the Abbey Gateway to museums exploring the city’s history and industry. The Thames and the Kennet add another dimension; walking and cycling routes offer different ways to get to know Reading. When planning your visit, you can choose between architectural heritage, museum themes and activities by the water.
Reading Abbey and Jane Austen
The Reading Abbey Quarter covers the former site of Reading Abbey. The ruins include the south transept, the Treasury, the chapter house, the dormitory, the necessarium and the refectory. They are protected as a Scheduled Monument and listed as Grade I buildings. The Abbey Gateway is also a Grade I listed building and an important part of medieval Reading Abbey, founded by King Henry I.
The Gateway connects this medieval history with a later chapter: from 1785, Jane Austen was a pupil at Reading Ladies Boarding School in the Reading Abbey Gateway, where she remained until December 1786. The history of a royal foundation and a precisely dated literary connection therefore sit side by side. Reading Minster, also known as St Mary’s Church, adds to the picture as Reading’s oldest church.
Museums spanning Abbey history and industry
In the Story of Reading Gallery, a scale reconstruction shows part of Reading Abbey’s cloister. It includes striking original Romanesque carvings. The Huntley & Palmers Gallery offers a different perspective on the city: it explores how the company pioneered the industrial mass production of biscuits and why Reading became known as “Biscuit Town.”
The Museum of English Rural Life focuses on food, farming and the countryside. It houses England’s most comprehensive collection of objects, books and archives on these subjects. The Riverside Museum, meanwhile, tells the story of Reading’s two rivers, the Kennet and the Thames. The museum is housed in the listed former waterworks buildings, Screen House and Turbine House. Together, these collections offer different perspectives: medieval architectural history, the city’s industrial past, rural life and its rivers.
Gardens, rivers and routes
Forbury Gardens is a Victorian town garden, laid out at the height of the urban parks movement. It is also home to the famous Maiwand Lion statue. The gardens offer a different focus from the museums and Abbey ruins: here, the theme is a historic town garden. Reading lies on the Thames and the Kennet and Avon Canal; both waterways are also part of the city’s history, as told at the Riverside Museum.
If you’d like to include a walk in your day’s plans, the Thames and Kennet Walk offers two time options. The route is 3 miles long, with a longer 4-mile option. The walk is listed as taking 1 to 1.5 hours, with an extra 30 minutes for the longer option. This makes it easy to gauge the additional time the longer route requires.
There are also different settings for cycling: Reading offers a mix of riverside paths, countryside routes and urban connections. Christchurch Bridge is car-free for pedestrians and cyclists. It connects Reading town centre on the south bank of the Thames with Caversham on the north bank. The bridge provides a specific crossing over the river; you can consider the other routes according to their own character.
St James’ Way and event dates
St James’ Way is a 68-mile long-distance walking route from Reading to Southampton, following the path of medieval pilgrims. It is an accredited part of the Camino Inglés (English Way), a route of the Camino de Santiago in north-western Spain. The official starting point is in front of St James’ Church in Reading’s Abbey Quarter. Check the local waymarkers before setting off. This connects the history of the pilgrimage route with a specific starting point in Reading, while keeping the length of the full route in perspective.
Events can also influence your choice of travel dates. The Reading Festival takes place in Reading every year. Water Fest is a recurring event celebrating and showcasing the Kennet and Avon Canal and the many attractive and historic places along its towpath. If either festival is important to your trip, check the dates for your specific travel dates.
Discover more destinations: Wickham, Streatley, Thatcham, Inkpen, Lambourn, Theale, Midgham, East Ilsley
For the broader travel overview: Berkshire.
