Berkshire Heritage Talks Series
This all series ticket covers all three talks in the “Berkshire Heritage” Talks series, for the discounted price of £12.50 (members £10). You may also book each talk individually – see each separate event page. All talks are on Thursdays at 2.30pm. The venue is the Abbey Baptist Church, Abbey Square, Reading (next to the back of the former Reading Central Library). They last about an hour with time for questions and discussion afterwards. Tea, coffee and biscuits is included in the price.
Thursday 21 January 2027 – The History of Forbury Gardens, Reading with Joy Pibworth
Forbury Gardens is a much-loved part of Reading and has been the backdrop to many important events in the town, from at least 871 when the Danes camped there. Among its many associations – Reading Abbey, the English Civil War, Reading School, Jane Austen and now the Maiwand Lion. For many years after the Reformation, this was where Reading’s annual fair was held. Now listed as Grade II in the English Heritage Register of Historic Parks and Gardens; it has many hidden stories to tell.
Thursday 18 February 2027 – The Bayeux Tapestry with Sue Ellis
The Bayeux Tapestry came to the UK in September 2026 – but what is it? This talk looks at its origins, the way it was created in the eleventh century, (and a bit about what has happened to it over the intervening years), and what the images on the tapestry tell us about King Edward the Confessor, King Harold, and Duke William of Normandy – as well as what they don’t tell us.
Thursday 18 March 2027 – The History of the River Kennet with Dr David Peacock
This talk will look at some of the watermills along the River Kennet, before turning to the creation of the Kennet Navigation, the waterway from Reading to Newbury which opened in 1723 in the face of strong opposition. Later came the extension westwards to create the Kennet and Avon Canal, which opened in 1810, with trade expanding until the arrival of the railways. From the middle of the 19th century the canal went into a slow decline, with minimal maintenance, but it stayed open throughout until the 1950s. Since then the story has been one of closure, then campaigning to save and restore the canal, which officially re-opened in 1990.
Find out more in these fascinating face-to-face talks.
Pre-booking is preferred, but you can pay on the door for this series ticket at the first talk, if there are spaces available.
Image above (cropped): Boat by River Kennet by Paul Gillett, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Location image (cropped): Abbey Church – Gazamp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Scroll down to book.
- Thu 21 Jan 2027
Tickets
- £12.50
- Abbey Square, Reading RG1 3BE
Category
Organiser
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The Family Research Centre
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Email
booking@berksfhs.org.uk -
Website
https://berksfhs.org/local-teams/
Speakers
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Joy PibworthJoy has always been fascinated by history and is particularly interested in the history of the towns and villages of the former North Berkshire (now the Vale of the White Horse) and the history of Reading pre 1837. She is a long-standing member of several local history societies. Joy has been a Janeite (Jane Austen fan) since her school days and is particularly interested in the life and times of Jane and her immediate family.
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Sue Ellis
Sue Ellis, is well known among local history circles in West Berkshire. Now retired from West Berkshire Libraries, she is currently Secretary of Thatcham Historical Society and of the West Berkshire Heritage Forum.
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Dr David Peacock
David Peacock is a local historian for the Newbury area, and teaches classes in local history at West Berkshire Museum. A former journalist and teacher, he is the author of the 2011 edition of “The Story of Newbury”, as well as articles for local newspapers and periodicals.