West Reading, Berkshire
Encyclopedia
West Reading is a district of the town of Reading
in the English
county of Berkshire
.
The district has no formal boundaries, but the name is generally used to refer to the area to the west of Reading's town centre, to the north of the suburbs of Coley
and Southcote
, to the east of the suburb of Tilehurst
and to the south of the Reading to Bristol railway line
. As such it includes the densely populated area along and surrounding the Oxford Road
as far as the foot of Norcot Hill, which is a typical example of the British town's rows of terraced house
s, as well as the more affluent area to the north of the Bath Road and alongside Tilehurst Road as far as Prospect Park
.
The district lies entirely within the borough of Reading, including all of Battle ward
together with parts of Abbey, Minster, Norcot and Southcote wards. While most of the district is within the Reading West parliamentary constituency
, the Abbey ward portion (between the Inner Distribution Road
and Prospect Street / George Street) lies in the Reading East parliamentary constituency.
West Reading is served by Reading West railway station
on the local lines between Reading/Basingstoke
and Reading/Newbury
. Reading Buses operates frequent services along the Oxford Road, Bath Road and Tilehurst Road corridors.
of All Saints
, Holy Trinity, St Mark and Tylehurst St George, together with the Roman Catholic English Martyrs Church.
Battle Hospital
, formerly one of Reading's general hospitals, was located on Oxford Road in West Reading. The hospital has now closed and been replaced by a Tesco
supermarket and a residential estate. The Elm Park stadium
in West Reading was home to Reading Football Club
from 1896 to 1998, but has now been redeveloped as a housing estate.
The Bath Road Reservoir
, a Victorian era
water storage reservoir
and pumping station
is a major landmark along the Bath Road. Recent controversy has surrounded an attempt by its owners, Thames Water
, to demolish the pumping station, level the reservoir and redevelop the site for housing.
The Reading Half Marathon
runs through the streets of West Reading every year.
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
.
Geography
Coley, Berkshire
Coley is an inner-town district near the centre of the town of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire.The district has no formal boundaries, but the historically the name referred to the area roughly bounded by Castle Street, Castle Hill and the Bath Road to the north, Berkeley Avenue to the...
and Southcote
Southcote, Berkshire
Southcote is a suburb and local government ward of Reading in the English county of Berkshire.The suburb of Southcote is bounded to the north by the Bath Road and Prospect Park, to the west by the more recently developed suburb of Fords Farm, to the south by the Holy Brook and the water meadows of...
, to the east of the suburb of Tilehurst
Tilehurst
Tilehurst is a suburb of the town of Reading in the English county of Berkshire. It is also, with different boundaries as described below, a civil parish in West Berkshire district.-History:...
and to the south of the Reading to Bristol railway line
Great Western Main Line
The Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in Great Britain that runs westwards from London Paddington station to the west of England and South Wales. The core Great Western Main Line runs from London Paddington to Temple Meads railway station in Bristol. A major branch of the Great...
. As such it includes the densely populated area along and surrounding the Oxford Road
Oxford Road, Reading
Oxford Road is a major arterial road in Reading, Berkshire, England, near the town centre. The road leads west to Pangbourne, continuing eventually to the city of Oxford. The road was previously known as Pangbourne Lane....
as far as the foot of Norcot Hill, which is a typical example of the British town's rows of terraced house
Terraced house
In architecture and city planning, a terrace house, terrace, row house, linked house or townhouse is a style of medium-density housing that originated in Great Britain in the late 17th century, where a row of identical or mirror-image houses share side walls...
s, as well as the more affluent area to the north of the Bath Road and alongside Tilehurst Road as far as Prospect Park
Prospect Park, Reading
Prospect Park is both a public park and a historic house at Tilehurst in the western suburbs of the town of Reading in the English county of Berkshire. It is at .Prospect Park was originally the site of Dirle's Farm and part of the estate of Calcot Park...
.
The district lies entirely within the borough of Reading, including all of Battle ward
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
together with parts of Abbey, Minster, Norcot and Southcote wards. While most of the district is within the Reading West parliamentary constituency
Reading West (UK Parliament constituency)
Reading West is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like all such constituencies, it elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
, the Abbey ward portion (between the Inner Distribution Road
Inner Distribution Road
Inner Distribution Road or IDR is a dual carriageway ring road that encircles the town centre of Reading, Berkshire, England. It forms part of the A329 that runs from Wentworth in Surrey to Thame in Oxfordshire.- History :...
and Prospect Street / George Street) lies in the Reading East parliamentary constituency.
West Reading is served by Reading West railway station
Reading West railway station
Reading West is a railway station in Reading in England. It is in West Reading, west of the town centre, about from the main retail and commercial areas. The station is served by local services operated by First Great Western.-History:...
on the local lines between Reading/Basingstoke
Basingstoke
Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
and Reading/Newbury
Newbury, Berkshire
Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. It is situated on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and has a town centre containing many 17th century buildings. Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former USAF...
. Reading Buses operates frequent services along the Oxford Road, Bath Road and Tilehurst Road corridors.
Institutions
The district contains the Church of England parish churchesChurch of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
of All Saints
All Saints' Church, Reading
All Saints' Church is an Church of England parish church in the town of Reading in the English county of Berkshire. The church is on Downshire Square, a tree lined square in West Reading close to the Bath Road....
, Holy Trinity, St Mark and Tylehurst St George, together with the Roman Catholic English Martyrs Church.
Battle Hospital
Battle Hospital
Battle Hospital was a National Health Service hospital in the town of Reading in the English county of Berkshire. The hospital was located on a large site between Oxford Road and Portman Road, in West Reading....
, formerly one of Reading's general hospitals, was located on Oxford Road in West Reading. The hospital has now closed and been replaced by a Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
supermarket and a residential estate. The Elm Park stadium
Elm Park (stadium)
Elm Park was a football stadium in the West Reading district of the English town of Reading. It was the home of Reading Football Club from 1896 until 1998, when they moved to the new Madejski Stadium....
in West Reading was home to Reading Football Club
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
from 1896 to 1998, but has now been redeveloped as a housing estate.
The Bath Road Reservoir
Bath Road Reservoir
Bath Road Reservoir is an underground reservoir complex in the town of Reading in the English county of Berkshire. Located to the north-west of the Bath Road in West Reading, the complex covers...
, a Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
water storage reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
and pumping station
Pumping station
Pumping stations are facilities including pumps and equipment for pumping fluids from one place to another. They are used for a variety of infrastructure systems, such as the supply of water to canals, the drainage of low-lying land, and the removal of sewage to processing sites.A pumping station...
is a major landmark along the Bath Road. Recent controversy has surrounded an attempt by its owners, Thames Water
Thames Water
Thames Water Utilities Ltd, known as Thames Water, is the private utility company responsible for the public water supply and waste water treatment in large parts of Greater London, the Thames Valley, Surrey, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Kent, and some other areas of in the United Kingdom...
, to demolish the pumping station, level the reservoir and redevelop the site for housing.
The Reading Half Marathon
Reading Half Marathon
The Reading Half Marathon is a half marathon road running event held on the streets of the English town of Reading. The race is normally held on a Sunday in March or early April of each year...
runs through the streets of West Reading every year.