United Kingdom, Reading

Reading is the largest town in England. Reading gets its name from the great Saxon chief Reada. Inhabitants from the tribal settlement of Reada were known as Reada’s Inga (Reada’s people). At the heart of the beautiful Thames Valley, Reading has quickly become one of the fastest growing centres for business and shopping.

History

Reading is first mentioned in the year 871 when the Danes captured it. They made a fort east of the little settlement by erecting a rampart between the Thames and the Kennet.

Reading is next mentioned in 1006 when the Danes burnt it. At the time of the Domesday Book (1086) Reading had a population of about 600.

In the Middle Ages Reading prospered because it was on the main road between London and the West of England. In those days the journey from London to Bristol and other western towns took several days and Reading was a convenient place to stay the night.

In 1733, the site of present day Reading was chosen. It was set at the intersection of two great valleys, the east Penn-Lebanon Valley and the Schuylkill River. This site was known as Finney's Ford until 1743 when Thomas Lawrence, a Penn Land agent, made the first attempt at the layout for Reading.

At the time of the first census in 1801 Reading had a population of just under 10,000. By the standards of the time it was quite a large town. In the 19th century new industries grew up.

Today, the Reading is a city pulsating with industrial life. It is also well equipped with agencies that represent civilization at it's best-churches, hospitals, clubs, fraternal societies, recreational centers.

Demographics

Reading has a population of around 232,622 that are accommodated in an area of 55.35 km. Reading is the 17th largest settlement, and the largest town, in England, based on the population of the urban area.

Geography

Reading is located mid way between Swindon and London, Reading, is close to River Thames and River Kenneth.

The city is situated at the grid reference that is around 66 km, to the west of London and 48 km southeast of Oxford that is around 40 miles to the east of Swindon.

Economy

Reading is an important business centre in South East England and is often referred to as the capital of the Thames Valley, with the headquarters of some major British companies and the UK offices of a number of major foreign multinationals.

The city of Reading, which was the seat of the former county of Berkshire, is a market center with iron founding, engineering, malting, brewing, and biscuit and seed industries.

Reading has its sights firmly set on the international business world, attracting several major international computer companies, including Microsoft, HP, (formerly Compaq/Digital) and The Oracle Corporation.

Culture

In Reading, the modern coexists with the traditional, both architecturally and culturally. One of the largest abbey complexes in England and old red brick homes still stand alongside the contemporary Hexagon building, an entertainment center that features drama and music performances.

Reading has a number of arts centres, including concert halls, fine art galleries and general use spaces, with a vibrant arts scene.

The town has a number of arts centres with concert halls, general use spaces and galleries.  Recently the town has become famous for two annual music festivals: the Reading Festival, first held in 1971, and WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance) which found a home in the town in 1990.

Sports

Reading has seven sport and leisure venues that offer something for everyone who wants to improve their fitness levels and have fun; as well as a broad range of specialist and fitness classes available there are adult and baby swimming pools, dance studios, a health suite, squash courts, a bowls hall - in fact something for all ages and abilities.

Reading is a centre for rugby union football in the area, with the Guinness Premiership team London Irish as tenants at the Madejski Stadium.

Transportation

Reading has excellent transport links: Heathrow Airport is only 40 minutes away by coach, and London 25 minutes by train.

Reading has a large modern station serviced by all major train companies operating east-west in the Thames Valley.

Local public transport is largely road-based, and can be affected by the significant peak hour congestion in the borough. A comprehensive and frequent local bus network within the borough, and a less frequent network in the surrounding area, is provided by Reading Buses.

Lying at the junction of several road and rail transport routes Reading is a great base for exploring the beautiful valleys of the Thames and Kennet. Much of the surrounding area lies in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.