Five mosaics in Wokingham’s Market Place connect two specific chapters in the town’s history: they commemorate the granting of its market charter by Henry III in 1219 and recognise the role of the Heelas family in the town’s long-standing silk trade. For visitors choosing Wokingham for a culture- and history-focused stay, they provide a clear introduction to the town’s past. The Town Hall, collections and historic buildings offer different perspectives, while Keephatch provides a contrasting landscape of ponds, woodland and grassland.
History through mosaics, collections and buildings
The Wokingham Virtual Museum is the virtual home of the treasures of Wokingham Town Hall. Wokingham Town Museum includes art, building and civic collections. The Wokingham history app adds a video about the history of the Town Hall and the Wokingham Society’s Blue Plaque Trail to these perspectives. 15 The Terrace is also part of this trail. The building is generally considered the oldest surviving building in Wokingham and has been dated to the 14th century based on its architectural style.
The Church of All Saints also reveals layers of history: the parish church dates from the late 14th century and stands on an older site. Its tower and clerestory were added in the 15th century. The history of Wokingham Town Hall’s use tells of further changes. Until 1905, it housed a police station, and until 1969, a fire engine. Today, the Town Hall complex contains four shops and a covered market. The building’s historic functions and present-day use can therefore be seen side by side.
Keephatch: landscape and habitats
At Keephatch, the focus is not on architectural history: the area includes ponds, woodland, grassland and historic landscape features associated with the former Keephatch Estate. These habitats provide suitable conditions for amphibians, invertebrates, birds and small mammals. This makes the area quite different from the collections, mosaics and church buildings. If you are more interested in landscape and habitats than architectural history when planning your trip, you can make Keephatch a focus of its own.
Theatre and festival as reasons to visit
Wokingham Theatre presents eight major productions a year. Its venue is in Cantley Park in Wokingham and has more than 160 seats. At Wokingham Festival, live music alternates between two stages. The programme also includes food and drink, family entertainment and stalls. The festival lasts three days and takes place every year over the August Bank Holiday weekend.
Theatre and festival offer different ways to plan your dates: the festival takes place over the August Bank Holiday weekend, while the theatre presents eight major productions a year. You can plan your search for accommodation around the event that is the main focus of your trip.
Discover more destinations: Streatley, Bradfield, Newbury, Compton, Wickham, East Ilsley, Pangbourne, Midgham.
For the main travel overview: Berkshire.
