Berkshire

Berkshire, also called the Royal County of Berkshire, is a ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Greater London, Surrey, Hampshire, and Wiltshire. The largest town is Reading, which is also the county town.

The county covers 1,263 square kilometers and had around 992,000 people in 2024. Most people live in the eastern part, close to London, including towns like Slough, Bracknell, and Maidenhead. The western part is more rural, with Newbury as its biggest town.

Berkshire has a rich history. Ancient settlements existed there, such as the Iron Age Uffington White Horse. Important buildings like Windsor Castle were built there, and many battles happened in the area, especially during the First English Civil War. Today, the eastern part has many technology jobs, while farming remains important in the west.

History

Main article: History of Berkshire

Berkshire's name comes from an old wood of box trees called Bearroc, meaning "hilly" in Celtic. This wood was near Newbury. The county has a rich history, with records from Abingdon Abbey showing its early importance.

Berkshire has seen many battles, including fights led by Alfred the Great against the Danes and battles during the English Civil War at Newbury. Reading became the county town in 1867. In 1957, Berkshire earned the title "Royal County" because of Windsor Castle. The county's boundaries changed over time, especially in 1974 and 1998, but it still holds historical significance.

Geography

The River Thames flows through all of Berkshire. The land in Berkshire can be split into two parts, east and west of the town of Reading. In the north-east, there are bends in the river made of limestone. South of these bends is a wider area with clay and gravel. There are also areas with sand, flint, and soil that is a little sour.

East of Reading, some land is low and lies on the north side of the Thames. Places like Slough and Windsor are here. North of Reading, the land rises up into the Chiltern Hills.

Two smaller rivers, the Loddon and the Kennet, flow near Reading. West of Reading, the land stretches further away from the Thames. Here, the River Kennet flows through a plain that rises into chalk hills. The highest point in this area is Walbury Hill, which stands at 297 metres tall. North of the Kennet are the Berkshire Downs, a hilly area with valleys formed by rivers like the Lambourn and Pang. This area is good for growing crops like barley and wheat, and it is also a place where many racehorses are trained.

Geology

Berkshire’s land can be described in three main layers. The western part has downlands made from layers of old sedimentary rocks from a time long ago called the Cretaceous period. These rocks include sandstones and mudstones, and also chalk in some places. Over these rocks, there are thinner layers of clay, sand, gravel, and silt from even more recent times.

The London Clay, which is mostly from a time called the Eocene, covers much of the south and east, but it gets thinner as you move west. In some places, older layers from the Palaeocene can be found underneath. South and east of Bracknell, the land is covered with sands and clays from the Eocene, along with more recent layers of sand, silt, and gravel. Rivers like the Thames, Loddon, and Blackwater helped shape this area over time.

Governance

Main articles: Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire, High Sheriff of Berkshire, and counties of England

Berkshire is a special kind of area in England called a ceremonial county. It is run by six different local groups called unitary authorities. Until 1998, there was a group called Berkshire County Council, but it was stopped. Now, there is a special leader called a lord-lieutenant and another leader called a high sheriff to help with important jobs.

In February 2024, the six local groups created a team called the Berkshire Prosperity Board. In September 2024, they showed interest in forming a bigger team called a combined authority.

As of the 2023 local elections, some local leaders from the Liberal Democrat group help run three areas: West Berkshire, Windsor and Maidenhead, and Wokingham. They work together with leaders from the Labour Party. In two other areas, Bracknell Forest and Reading, leaders from the Labour Party help run things. In Slough, leaders from the Conservative Party are in charge.

After the 2024 United Kingdom general election, five of the elected leaders, called Members of Parliament or MPs, were from the Labour group, three were from the Liberal Democrat group, and one was from the Conservative group.

The leader of the country, called the prime minister, between 2016 and 2019, Theresa May, was from Maidenhead.

Demography

See also: List of settlements in Berkshire by population

Berkshire is home to about 800,000 people, with many living in towns such as Reading, Slough, Bracknell, Maidenhead, and Wokingham. The western part of Berkshire is more countryside-like and has fewer people. Over the years, the number of people in Berkshire has grown, especially in busy areas like Reading and Slough. This growth is because many people move there for jobs and opportunities. Reading is known for technology and business.

Economy

Industry

Reading has a long history in technology, thanks to early companies like International Computers Limited and Digital. Today, big tech firms like Fujitsu and Hewlett-Packard still have offices there. Newer companies such as Microsoft and Oracle also have large campuses near the town. Many other technology firms have offices in Reading, including Huawei Technologies, Agilent Technologies, Cisco, Intel, Nvidia, and Sage. Financial firms like ING Direct and Prudential also have headquarters or offices in Reading. Big accounting firms such as Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG, and PricewaterhouseCoopers have offices in the city as well.

The global headquarters of Reckitt Benckiser and the UK headquarters of Mars, Incorporated are in Slough. Slough is also home to offices for major IT companies like BlackBerry and CA Technologies, as well as the National Foundation for Educational Research. Other well-known brands with offices in Slough include Nintendo, Black & Decker, Amazon, and HTC.

Bracknell is known for its technology companies, including Panasonic, Fujitsu, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and Honeywell. The area attracts many IT firms, and Bracknell is also the home of the main Waitrose distribution centre. The town has been the UK headquarters for Honda and BMW as well.

Newbury is the headquarters of the large mobile network Vodafone, which employs thousands of people. Other companies based in Newbury include National Instruments, Micro Focus, and Newbury Building Society.

In a small village called Compton, a chemical company named Carbosynth was started in 2006. It later merged with a Swiss company and is now part of a global organization called Biosynth Carbosynth^®.

London Heathrow Airport, located nearby in London, helps support the economy of Slough in east Berkshire.

Agricultural produce

Abingdon Abbey once had farms that made dairy products. One famous cheese from Berkshire is Red Windsor cheese, which has a special red marbling. Other cheeses from the area include Wigmore, Waterloo, Spenwood from Riseley, and Barkham Blue from Barkham.

Media

Local media

Local news and television programmes are covered by BBC South and ITV Meridian for the Thames Valley from the Hannington TV transmitter. Areas of Berkshire close to London, such as Maidenhead, Windsor and Slough, get their news and TV from BBC London and ITV London using the Crystal Palace TV transmitter.

The county’s local radio stations include BBC Radio Berkshire, Heart South and Greatest Hits Radio Berkshire & North Hampshire.

Film and television production

Berkshire has become a popular place for making films and TV shows. It used to be known mainly for showing scenes for famous movies like Harry Potter and James Bond. But in the early 2020s, new studios were built, such as Shinfield Studios, Arborfield Studios and Winnersh Film Studios. These studios are part of the University of Reading's Cine Valley at Thames Valley Science Park and are some of the biggest in the United Kingdom. Big companies like Disney, Netflix, and Sony Pictures now use these studios for their productions. Earlier, Bray Film Studios was where many Hammer Horror films were made.

Sport

Horse racing

Berkshire is a special place for horse racing, holding more important flat races than any other county in England. The famous Ascot Racecourse is a top spot for racing horses, hosting many big races each year. It is very close to Windsor Castle and has a strong connection to the British royal family. One of the biggest events there is the Ascot Gold Cup, and the most famous race is the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes held in July.

Another important racecourse is Newbury Racecourse, located near the town of Newbury. It hosts exciting races all year and is known for its Lockinge Stakes. The area around Lambourn is also well-known for training racehorses, earning it the name "Valley of the Racecourse."

Football

The main football team in Berkshire is Reading F.C., which plays professional football. Although it was founded in 1871, it only joined the top league in the 2006–07 season. There are many other smaller football teams in the county, such as Maidenhead United, Slough Town, and Windsor & Eton F.C.. One famous rivalry is between Slough Town and Windsor & Eton F.C., known as the Thames River Derby.

Rugby

Reading is a strong place for rugby union. The team London Irish used to play there before moving to London. Newbury also has a rugby team called Newbury R.F.C., known as the Newbury 'Blues.'

Ice hockey

The Bracknell Bees and Slough Jets are ice hockey teams that have both won national titles and play in the English Premier League.

Hockey

There are many hockey clubs in Berkshire, including Phoenix Reading Hockey Club, Reading Hockey Club, and Slough Hockey Club. In 2016, Bracknell and Wokingham Hockey Clubs joined to form South Berkshire Hockey Club.

Education

Berkshire has many places for learning. You can find the University of Reading, which includes the Henley Business School. There is also a campus for Imperial College at Silwood Park and a campus for the University of West London in Reading.

The area is also known for special schools such as Ludgrove School, Eton College, and Wellington College. There are also several grammar schools including Reading School, Kendrick School, and Herschel Grammar School.

Towns and villages

Main articles: List of places in Berkshire, List of settlements in Berkshire by population, and List of civil parishes in Berkshire

Berkshire has many towns and villages. Some of the well-known places include Reading, which is the largest town. The county also includes other interesting spots where people live and visit.

Notable people

See also: List of people from Reading, Berkshire and List of people from Slough, Berkshire

Berkshire has been home to many famous people throughout history. Some well-known names include:

• King Henry I of England (1068/1069–1135; founded and buried at Reading Abbey)
• King Edward III of England (born 1312–1377; one of the most successful English monarchs of the Middle Ages)
• King Henry VI of England (1421–1471; King of England, born at Windsor)
• Prince Albert Victor (1864–1892; eldest son of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII)
• Catherine, Princess of Wales (born 1982; spouse of William, Prince of Wales)
• Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth (1757–1844; former prime minister; donor of land for Royal Berkshire Hospital)
• Sir George Alexander (1858–1918; actor and theatre manager)
• Jane Austen (1775–1817; author)
• Francis Baily (1774–1844; astronomer)
• Lucy Benjamin (born 1970; actress)
• Michael Bond (1926–2017; author, creator of Paddington Bear)
• Sir Michael Parkinson (1935–2023)
• Sir Kenneth Branagh (born 1960; actor and film director)
• Charlie Brooker (born 1971; journalist)
• Richard Burns (1971–2005; rally driver)
• David Cameron, Baron Cameron of Chipping Norton (born 1966; former prime minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from December 2005 to July 2016)
• Jimmy Carr (born 1972; comedian)
• Emilia Clarke (born 1986; actress)
• Emma Crosby (1977; television presenter)
• Natalie Dormer (born 1982; actress, screenwriter, producer)
• Polly Elwes (1928–1987; television reporter and announcer)
• Uri Geller (born 1946; mentalist)
• Ricky Gervais (born 1961; comedian)
• Dani Harmer (born 1989; actress)
• Chesney Hawkes (born 1971; pop singer)
• Sir Lenny Henry (born 1958; comedian)
• Daniel Howell (born 1991; professional vlogger and BBC Radio 1 presenter)
• Max & Harvey (born 2002; twin musicians, CBBC presenters and social-media stars)
• Nicholas Hoult (born 1989; actor)
• Kate Humble (born 1968; television presenter)
• Joseph Huntley (born 1775; innovative biscuit maker; founder of Huntley & Palmers)
• Sir Elton John (born 1947; lives in Old Windsor)
• Peter Jones (born 1966; entrepreneur)
• John Kendrick (1573–1624; merchant and mayor)
• William Laud (1573–1645; former archbishop of Canterbury)
• Suzanna Leigh (born 1945; actress)
• Jeremy Kyle (born 1965; British radio and television presenter, best known for hosting his own daytime show The Jeremy Kyle Show)
• Lesley Langley (Miss United Kingdom 1965 and Miss World 1965)
• Camilla Luddington (born 1983; actress)
• Sir John Madejski (born 1941; entrepreneur and philanthropist)
• Sir Sam Mendes (born 1965; director)
• Sir Tony McCoy (born 1974; jockey and winner of the 2010 Grand National and the 2010 BBC Sports Personality of the Year)
• William Penn (1644–1718; founder of Pennsylvania)
• Alexander Pope (1688–1744; poet)
• Alexander Prior (born 1992; composer and conductor)
• Lawrie Sanchez (born 1959; former footballer and manager)
• Ayrton Senna (1960–1994; racing driver, Formula One champion)
• Mark Stephens (born Old Windsor 1957), solicitor and broadcaster, mediator, writer, educator and patron of the arts
• Jethro Tull (1674–1741; agriculturist)
• Chris Tarrant (born 1946; radio broadcaster and host of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?)
• James Towillis, English landscape artist
• Theo Walcott (born 1989; footballer, originally for A.F.C. Newbury)
• Neil Webb (born 1963; professional footballer)
• Oscar Wilde (1854–1900; poet and playwright, author of The Ballad of Reading Gaol, and prisoner in Reading Gaol)
• Kate Winslet (born 1975; actress)
• Will Young (born 1979; singer-songwriter)

Places of interest

Berkshire has many interesting places to visit. Some of these include Basildon Park, Beale Park, Berkshire Downs, and Bisham Abbey. You can also explore Eton College, Legoland Windsor, and Windsor Castle. Other spots like The Living Rainforest and Reading Abbey offer unique experiences for visitors.