The Hallowing of the Church at Reading Abbey by Thomas Becket in 1164. Oil on canvas by Stephen Reid – 1920 © Reading Museum (Reading Borough Council)
Henry I founded Reading Abbey in 1121 but it was not consecrated until 19 April 1164 during the reign of his grandson Henry II. The ceremony was carried out by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket and was attended by the King and his noblemen.
Waterfest 2019
Many spring and summer events are being cancelled or postponed in Reading to reduce the spread of Coronavirus. Reading Borough Council have published a list of some spring and summer events, such as Waterfest in June, which have been affected.
Matt Rodda, Reading East MP (official portrait courtesy of the UK parliament).
Matt Rodda, MP for Reading East, spoke in the debate on the Coronavirus Bill on 23 March. The bill sets out the Government’s emergency powers to manage the coronavirus crisis in the United Kingdom.
Reading’s Progress Theatre, on the Mount in Redlands, has temporarily closed its doors from today, and cancelled this season’s shows, because of the coronavirus epidemic.
The Children Helping Children (CHC) concert planned for 31 March at the Hexagon Theatre has been postponed. The Hexagon Theatre has closed because of the current coronavirus epidemic.
Reading Borough Council (RBC) closes its buildings to the public from today, Tuesday 17 March. This includes the civic offices, Reading Museum and Town Hall, arts and theatre venues, libraries, community buildings and leisure centres. RBC has decided to do this in response to latest government advice on the coronavirus epidemic.
The Redeeming Our Communities (ROC) Conversation planned for 30 March at the John Madejski Academy has been postponed because of the current coronavirus outbreak.
Tom Cartmill at the Caversham Picture Framer
Katesgrove artist Tom Cartmill has a selection of his works on show at the Caversham Picture Framer. We went along to the meet the artist event on 7 March to see the exhibition.
Reading Cultural Awards 2020 are now open for nominations for activities and events that took place between 1 April 2019 and 31 March 2020. Anyone can nominate an event or an organisation for one of the 13 awards. There is a new category this year, school of the year, for a school that has shown outstanding dedication to the arts.
Hexagon, Broad St Mall and Fountain House
Reg Vastern-King chair and founder of the Friends of the IDR had watched the events unfolding at the Reading Borough Council (RBC) planning applications committee when the proposal to build four residential towers at Broad St Mall was discussed. I met Reg at his favourite hostelry, the Reindeer on Southampton Street to ask him what he thought about it all.
Whitley Pump roundabout
Reading Borough Council (RBC) has a schedule of charges for everything from overdue library book fines to planning fees and advertising on the Whitley Pump roundabout. The list covers 26 pages and is a fascinating insight into the minutiae of local government, Reading style.
By Gillie Tunley and Brenda Sandilands.
‘The Haunting of Hill House’ at the Progress Theatre. Photo © Richard Brown.
Progress Theatre are staging the suspenseful The Haunting of Hill House by F. Andrew Leslie, adapted from the novel by Shirley Jackson. It is directed with chilling panache by Matt Tully and polished production by Tony Wernham.
The Reading UK community interest company will host an information evening about Heritage Open Days on Wednesday 4 March at 5pm. The information evening will be at the Museum of English Rural Life (MERL) on Redlands Road and the open days themselves run from 11 September to 20 September this year.
This month’s History of Reading Society talk on Wednesday 19 February, Redlands Estate or ‘Shakels Fields’, will be about Redlands’ place in the development of Reading. The speaker is Keith Jerrome who lived in Redlands for 40 years.
79 Silver Street – February 2020
Prestige Student Living are advertising that their student accommodation at 79 Silver Street will be open in September 2020. The student rooms and apartments available vary in price from £250 per person per week to over £310 per person per week for a 51 week tenancy starting from 12 September.
Reading Food Growing Network AGM
The Reading Food Growing Network (RFGN) are holding their AGM in the conference hall at the Reading International Solidarity Centre (RISC) on London Street on Sunday 16 February starting at 4.30pm. It will be followed by a talk on Growing Climate Friendly Food given by Dave Richards who co-ordinates RISC’s work on food and gardens.
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