Museums, archives and heritage in Berkshire

Berkshire, one of the inland counties of England, lying between Hants and the river Thames, bounded on the N. by Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Bucks, E. by Surrey, S. by Herts, and W. by Wilts; greatest length, E. and W., 53 miles; greatest breadth, N. and W., 30 miles; area 462,210 acres, population 218,363. It is intersected in a westerly direction by a line of chalk hills, a continuation of the Chilterns, the highest elevation being White Horse Hill, altitude 893 ft. N. of this is the White Horse Vale (so called from the figure of a horse cut out on the hill-side), and to the S. lies the Vale of Kennet, watered by the Kennet stream. These tracts are well cultivated, and produce good crops of grain, &c., especially in the Vale of the White Horse. Dairy farms and commons abound; much of the surface is under woods, chiefly of oak and beech. Windsor Forest, covering upwards of 50,000 acres, lies in the E. The Thames flows along the entire N. boundary (100 miles in extent); its tributaries are the Kennet, Lambourn, Ock, and Loddon. The manufactures are unimportant, being chiefly agricultural implements and malt. The Great Western Railway, the Thames, and 2 canals are the chief means of transit. The county contains 20 hundreds, 193 parishes with parts of 4 others, the parliamentary and municipal boroughs of Reading (1 member) and New Windsor (1 member), the municipal boroughs of Maidenhead, Newbury, and Wallingford, and the greater part of the municipal borough of Abingdon. It is almost entirely in the diocese of Oxford.

– John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887)

Note: the Vale of the White Horse south of the River Thames, originally in Berkshire, has been in Oxfordshire since 1974.

Ashdown House – National Trust

Lambourn

Newbury RG17 8RE

01793 762leighton209

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ashdown-house

17th-century house perched on the Berkshire Downs. This extraordinary Dutch-style house is famous for its association with Elizabeth of Bohemia (‘The Winter Queen’), Charles I’s sister, to whom the house was ‘consecrated’.

Basildon Park – National Trust

Lower Basildon

Reading RG8 9NR

0118 984 3040

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/basildon-park

This beautiful Palladian mansion was built in 1776-83 by John Carr for Francis Sykes, who made his fortune in India. The interior is notable for its original delicate plasterwork and elegant staircase as well as the unusual Octagon Room.

Berkshire Family History Society

161 St Peter’s Road, Earley

Reading RG6 1PG

0118 966 3585

www.berksfhs.org.uk/cms

Berkshire Family History Society for genealogists living in the Royal County and those with ancestors in the pre-1974 county.

Berkshire Library & Museum of Freemasonry, The

Sindlesham Court Ltd., Mole Road

Sindlesham RG41 5EA

0118 9795104

goo.gl/F24OEu

The Berkshire Library and Museum of Freemasonry houses an extensive range of books and a fascinating collection of masonic artefacts.

Berkshire Medical Heritage Centre

Level 4, Main Entrance, Royal Berkshire Hospital

Reading RG1 5AN

0118 322 7298

The Heritage Centre was founded in 1997. Our aim is to preserve and display items of historical medical interest particularly those with a local connection.

Berkshire Record Office

9 Coley Avenue

Reading RG1 4QN

0118 9375132

www.berkshirerecordoffice.org.uk

The Berkshire Record Office is the archives of the Royal County of Berkshire. We look after nearly nine hundred years of the county’s history. On our website you can discover more about our holdings and how to use us, as well as see some of the treasures from our collections.

Berkshire Yeomanry Museum

Territorial Army Centre, Bolton Road

Windsor SL4 3JG

01753 860600

goo.gl/JzmpCf

The museum contains a well displayed and comprehensive collection tracing the history of the regiment since its beginnings in 1794.

Cliveden – National Trust

Taplow

Maidenhead SL6 0JA

01628 605069

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cliveden

Grade I listed garden, extensive woodlands and Italianate mansion. This spectacular estate overlooking the River Thames has a series of gardens, each with its own character, featuring topiary, statuary, water gardens, a formal parterre, Octagon temple, informal vistas, woodland and riverside walks.

Cole Museum of Zoology

School of Animal and Microbial Sciences, University of Reading

Reading RG6 6AJ

0118 378 7024

www.colemuseum.rdg.ac.uk

The Cole Museum is a remarkable collection in that it was built up in the period 1907 to 1939 by three main people. Professor Cole, Dr Nellie B Eales and Mr Stoneman.

Dorney Court

Windsor SL4 6QP

01628 604638

www.dorneycourt.co.uk

Dorney Court is a Grade I Listed Tudor Manor House with the added accolade of being of outstanding architectural and historical interest. The house contains a fine collection of family portraits dating from the 16th century, many tapestries and good English furniture.

Eton College Collections & Museum of Eton Life

c/o Eton College

Windsor SL4 6DB

www.etoncollege.com/moel.aspx

The museum of Eton Life tells the story of the foundation of the College in 1440 and provides a glimpse into the world of the Eton schoolboy past and present. Find out about work, games (including the famous Eton Wall Game), punishment, and some of the colourful customs of the past. Discover well-known Old Etonians, from poets to prime ministers.

Highclere Castle

Highclere Park

Newbury RG20 9RN

01635 253 210

www.highclerecastle.co.uk/index.html

Highclere Castle is a beautiful building and a warm, welcoming home to visitors and guests at events and celebrations held here. Apart from exploring the castle, the Egyptian Exhibition fascinates adults and children, whilst the surrounding Grounds and Gardens provide peace and tranquillity.

Maidenhead Heritage Centre

18 Park Street

Maidenhead SL6 1SL

01628 780555

www.maidenheadheritage.org.uk

Maidenhead Heritage Centre is where local history comes alive – from the stone age to the age of aviation and computers. Our exhibitions celebrate the past and help our visitors understand how and why Maidenhead and the surrounding villages developed. We are also Maidenhead’s community memory bank, collecting and preserving artefacts, photographs, documents and tape recordings which all illustrate our local history.

Museum of Berkshire Aviation

Mohawk Way (off The Bader Way)

Woodley, Nr. Reading RG5 4UE

0118 944 8089

home.comcast.net/~aero51/html/index.htm

Berkshire’s dynamic contribution to aviation history is graphically re-captured at the museum. Run as a charitable trust, the museum is at the historic site of Woodley Airfield, near Readin.

Reading Museum

Town Hall, Blagrave Street

Reading RG1 1QH

0118 937 3400

www.readingmuseum.org.uk

At the Reading Museum you can explore the social and natural history of Reading and surrounding area, including: The Biscuit Town: Uncover the story behind biscuit makers Huntley & Palmers Learn about the daily life and fascinating history of the once-splendid Reading Abbey. Explore what the Romans did for us in the Silchester Gallery of Roman Life. Britain’s copy of the Bayeux Tapestry – displayed in its magnificent 70 metre entirety in a purpose-built gallery.

REME Museum of Technology

Isaac Newton Road, (off Biggs Lane)

Arborfield RG2 9NH

0118 976 3375

www.rememuseum.org.uk

South of Reading in rural Berkshire, the REME Museum of Technology tells the history of the Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. The Corps was formed in 1942 and still undertaking its original function of keeping the army’s machines and weapons fitting fit.

Riverside Museum at Blake’s Lock

off Kenavon Drive

Reading RG1 3DH

0118 9399800

goo.gl/u2PmAB

The museum is sited on the banks of the River Kennet in the centre of Reading. The displays tell the story of the Reading’s two rivers – the Kennet and the Thames.

Collections: Objects on display include a spectacular gypsy caravan and a medieval mill wheel. There are waterside views of the town centre and occasional summertime art exhibitions in the Turbine House.

Runnymede – National Trust

Runnymede Estate Office, North Lodge, Windsor Road

Old Windsor SL4 2JL

01784 432891

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/runnymede

Riverside site of the sealing of the Magna Carta. Runnymede’s diverse natural landscapes provide a backdrop for its unique history. The ancient ‘meeting meadow’ witnessed King John’s sealing of the Magna Carta in 1215.

Shaw House

Newbury RG14 2DR

01635 279279

www.westberks.gov.uk/shawhouse

Shaw House is a large Elizabethan house; it was built in 1581 by the Dolman family. It was a family home until the 20th century.

Slough Museum

Ground Floor, Slough Central Library, 85 High Street

Slough SL1 1EA

01753 526422

www.sloughmuseum.co.uk

The collection covers a period of around 10,000 years – from when mammoths roamed the area to the present day multi-cultural trading town. This includes the growth of Slough in the 17th and 18th centuries as a coaching town (ideally placed 20 miles outside of London for resting along the Bath road), the Victorian brick and horticultural industries (supplying the growing capital) and the foundations and growth of Slough Trading Estate (attracting workers from around the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and Europe) which today continues to attract a growing population from around the world.

Thames Valley Police Museum

Thames Valley Police Training Centre, Sulhamstead

Nr Reading RG7 4DU

0118 932 6748

goo.gl/dLJQWC

Exhibits include items from the Great Train Robbery, a Triumph Saint Motorbike, an old control room desk, old uniforms and various photographs, helmets, truncheons, whistles and charge books.

University of Reading Special Collections

Special Collections Services, The University of Reading, Redlands Road

Reading RG1 5EX

0118 378 8660

www.reading.ac.uk/special-collections

The University has a large number of special collections of rare books, archives, manuscripts and other materials including the Beckett Collection and the Archive of British Publishing and Printing. They may be consulted by members of the public as well as members of the university. Our collections, which include rare books, archives and manuscripts, are substantial and varied, particularly for a university of this age and size.

Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology

University of Reading, Department of Classics, Humanities Building, Whiteknights

Reading RG6 6AA

0118 378 6990

www.rdg.ac.uk/Ure

The Ure Museum started life in the 1920s as a small collection of fragmentary pottery by the first Professor of Classics at the University, Percy Ure. It has now grown due to the generosity of various donors, and is recognised as the fourth largest collection of Greek ceramics in Britain. The museum has recently undergone a massive renewal and artefacts are now displayed thematically. It is located on the Whiteknights campus at the University of Reading, where there are also several other important museums.

West Berkshire Museum

The Wharf

Newbury RG14 5AS

01635 519562 direct 42400 general

www.westberkshiremuseum.org.uk

Established in 1904, the museum houses various artworks and collections. The museum is housed in two of Newbury’s most historic buildings. The Cloth Hall was built in 1626-1627 by Richard Emmes, a master carpenter of Speenhamland for the Newbury Corporation as a cloth factory. Originally part of a larger range of buildings with a courtyard in the centre, the building was subsequently used as a workhouse, hospital and school before being used for storing corn from 1829 until its conversion to a museum.

Windsor & Royal Borough Museum

The Guildhall, High Street

Windsor SL4 1LR

01628 685 686

www.rbwm.gov.uk/web/museum.htm

Windsor & Royal Borough Museum is a Registered/Accredited Museum which comprises the local history collection for the borough, comprising over 7,000 objects including Saxon artefacts from Old Windsor, prehistoric tools, manuscripts, paintings and Victorian objects.

Windsor Castle

Windsor SL4 2AP

020 7766 7304

www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/windsorcastle

Windsor Castle is an official residence of The Queen and the largest occupied castle in the world. A royal palace and fortress for over 900 years, the castle remains a working palace today.