Berkshire
Explore hidden histories, historic photos, and things you never knew about Berkshire from the collections and archives of Historic England.
Discover your local listed buildings and places
Introducing some of Berkshire's most historic sites, included in the National Heritage List for England. Some of these captions have been summarised by AI. Click through for the official List entry.
URS Building, including the paved surface of Chancellors …
Earley
University faculty building, 1970-72, by Howell, Killick, Partridge and Amis, built for the Faculty of Urban and Regional Studies, including the College of Estate Management (CEM).
Cruise missile shelter complex, Greenham Common Airbase
Greenham
The Greenham Common GAMA complex is a key symbol of the Second Cold War, representing the Western response to Soviet threats through advanced military technology and promoting arms control...
The Royal Estate, Windsor: Windsor Great Park
Old Windsor
Windsor Great Park, established in the 11th century as a royal hunting park, features ancient trees, historical lodges, and significant landscapes shaped by notable figures like George III...
Caesar's Camp hillfort and the remains of a Napoleonic re…
Crowthorne
Caesar's Camp hillfort demonstrates Iron Age social organization and reuse as a Napoleonic redoubt, showcasing its historic strategic significance.
Reading Gaol (main building) former Her Majesty's Prison
Reading
County gaol, 1842-4 by George Gilbert Scott and William Boynthon Moffatt, altered c.1970.
Park Place, and Temple Combe
Remenham
Park Place in Henley-on-Thames is a country house estate with historical significance, having ties to figures like Frederick, Prince of Wales, and features designed by notable architects.
Shaw House
Shaw cum Donnington
Shaw House, built in the late 16th century by Thomas Dolman, has a rich historical significance. It played a role in the Second Battle of Newbury. .
The Royal Estate, Windsor: Windsor Castle and Home Park
Old Windsor
Centuries of royal gardens surround Windsor Castle, England's principal royal residence.
Wickham Bushes Romano-British settlement
Crowthorne
Romano-British aggregate villages are rare settlements from around 43-450 AD, featuring agricultural and dwelling structures.
Moated site at Foliejon Park
Winkfield
The moated site at Foliejon Park is a rare example in Berkshire, serving as a seigneurial residence symbolizing status and offers potential for archaeological finds.
Hamstead Marshall Park
Hampstead Marshall
Hamstead Marshall Park features remnants of a 17th-century country house and gardens, a historical deer park, and a hunting lodge that became the Cravens' residence.
Ascot Place
Winkfield
Ascot Place is a late 18th-century country house, noted for its historic landscape park, gardens, and outstanding grotto, reflecting the site's evolution through various ownerships.
Folly Farm
Sulhamstead
Folly Farm, a 17th-century farmhouse, was expanded by Edwin Lutyens in the early 20th century with gardens designed by Gertrude Jekyll.
Exploded Napoleonic practice redoubt on Butter Hill
Crowthorne
The exploded redoubt at Butter Hill is a notable example of British military engineering from 1792, demonstrating defensive strategies and morale-boosting maneuvers after the American War of...
Battle of Newbury 1643
Enborne
The Battle of Newbury in 1643 was a pivotal Civil War clash with King Charles' Royalists striving to outmaneuver Parliamentarian forces led by the Earl of Essex.
Bowl Barrow at Woodenhill, Bracknell
Bracknell
Bowl barrows, dating from 2400-1500 BC, are significant funerary monuments that offer insights into prehistoric communities' beliefs and social structures across lowland Britain.
Herschel Park (Formerly Upton Park)
Slough
Herschel Park, formerly Upton Park, designed in the mid-19th century possibly by Joseph Paxton, is a public park with historical ties to the Great Western Railway, Queen Victoria, and Prince...
NEWBOLD COLLEGE (formerly MOOR CLOSE)
Binfield
Newbold College, originally Moor Close, features late 19th-century architecture, enhanced with early 20th-century formal gardens by architect Oliver Hill in a style praised in notable...
Broadmoor Hospital
Crowthorne
Mid 19th-century asylum designed by Joshua Jebb for the criminally insane, featuring extensive grounds and historic gardens with long views over countryside.
Purley Hall
Purley on Thames
Purley Hall was built in 1609 and its gardens designed by Charles Bridgeman in the early 18th century. The estate hosted Warren Hastings during his impeachment in the 1780s.
Church of St Mary
Reading
A church, originally of C11 date and much enlarged and altered in the C16, C17, C19 and C20.
11 Castle Street
Reading
Former congregational chapel, built in 1837, designed by JJ Cooper, converted to retail use in around 1956, subsequently converted to use as a public house in the late 1990s.
Reading Town Hall
Reading
A group of municipal buildings which include the Town Hall, two Concert Halls, Museum and Register Office for Reading, but which formerly also housed the Library and Art college, together...
Former Wing Headquarters Building, Greenham Common
Greenham
Former Wing Headquarters Building, circa 1985 with more recent modifications.
Farley Hall
Swallowfield
Farley Hall, built in 1729 for John Walter, features an uncertain C18 garden design by Charles Bridgeman, surrounded by gardens, parkland, and historic architectural elements.
39 Castle Street
Reading
Late-C18 house, extended to the rear during the C19, with the ground floor rebuilt in the C20 after use as a shop.
The Royal Estate, Windsor: Cumberland Lodge
Old Windsor
Cumberland Lodge, the largest house in Windsor Great Park, has a rich history from the 17th century, serving as a royal residence and later a conference center.
Swallowfield Park
Swallowfield
Swallowfield Park is a historic country estate, notable for its associations with Edward III, Samuel Backhouse, Earl of Clarendon, and Governor Thomas Pitt, featuring gardens, landscaping,...
Reading Cemetery
Reading
A mid-C19 cemetery, laid out 1842-3 in formal and informal style for a private cemetery company, with planting by nurserymen Sutton and Son of Reading.
Deanery Garden
Sonning
Deanery Garden is an early 20th-century house designed by Edwin Lutyens, with a garden plan influenced by Gertrude Jekyll, located in Sonning, near Reading.
Aldermaston Court
Aldermaston
Aldermaston Court features mid-19th-century gardens and a country house surrounded by historical pleasure grounds and parkland with strong ties to the Forster and Congreve families.
The Tapestries, Old Windsor
Old Windsor
A tapestry factory and twelve joined workers cottages, built to the designs of Patrick James Byrne in 1881-1882 under the patronage of Prince Leopold and his wife Princess Helen.
Basildon Park
Basildon
Basildon Park, a late 18th-century country house designed by John Carr, features significant history involving prominent figures like Sir Francis Sykes and Lancelot Brown.
6-10 Bridge Street
Reading
Institutional building, constructed during the mid-C19. Used as a school, converted to office use during the late C20.
The Royal Meteorological Society, 104 Oxford Road
Reading
Detached house, built in the late C18 or early C19, converted to offices in the C20.
Berkshire through time
This timeline shows the first period of use for buildings and places on the National Heritage List for England, just one of the details recorded for every list entry. Click around to see how Berkshire changes over time.
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion, from hunter-gatherers of several human species, including Neanderthals, to more recent herders and farmers. It was a time of developing technologies and belief systems, involving contact with and migration from Europe, all reflected in the variety of artefact and monument types characteristic of particular prehistoric periods.
Roman AD 43 to AD 410
Britain was invaded by four legions of the Roman army in AD 43, who relatively rapidly conquered England from landing points in Kent. Parts of Wales and Scotland soon followed.
Roman culture brought urbanism, monumental buildings, wide-ranging religious beliefs, writing, and strong social hierarchy. The Roman administrative system was withdrawn in AD 410.
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanently altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion, from hunter-gatherers of several human species, including Neanderthals, to more recent herders and farmers. It was a time of developing technologies and belief systems, involving contact with and migration from Europe, all reflected in the variety of artefact and monument types characteristic of particular prehistoric periods.
Roman AD 43 to AD 410
Britain was invaded by four legions of the Roman army in AD 43, who relatively rapidly conquered England from landing points in Kent. Parts of Wales and Scotland soon followed.
Roman culture brought urbanism, monumental buildings, wide-ranging religious beliefs, writing, and strong social hierarchy. The Roman administrative system was withdrawn in AD 410.
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanently altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Aerial photos of Berkshire
Aerial photography helps reveal secrets of England's changing landscapes that are impossible to see from the ground.
Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, 1925
Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, 1953
Reading
General view over Reading and Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, 1920
Reading
London Road and environs, Reading, 1932
Wokefield Park
St Benedict's School, Wokefield Park, 1952
Wokefield Park
St Benedict's School, Wokefield Park, 1952
Pangbourne
Clayesmore School and Franklin's Copse, Pangbourne, 1928
Pangbourne
The Nautical College, Pangbourne, 1948
Sunninghill
Silwood Park, Sunninghill, 1950
Sunninghill
The Imperial College Field Station at Silwood Park, Sunninghill, 1950
Berkshire in the Historic England Archive
The Historic England Archive cares for over 15 million images, dating from the 1850s to the present day. Discover stunning images of Berkshire's past.
Charles George Harper Collection
West Berkshire
Date created: 1892 - 1933
Looking north-west along the Bath Road at Woolhampton, showing a group of men outside the Angel Inn
Eric de Mare
Bracknell Forest
Date created: 1945 - 1980
GENERAL VIEW LOOKING OUT FROM GROTTO OVER LAKE
John Gay Collection: Modern Architects
Great Hollands, Bracknell Forest
Date created: 1970 - 1980
The doctor's consulting room at the Great Hollands Health Centre in Bracknell
John Gay Collection: Rural Life
Windsor, Windsor And Maidenhead
Date created: Jul 1954
A horse at the Royal Show with a coach and horses beyond
John Gay Collection: Advertising and Promotional Photographs
West Berkshire
Date created: 27 Oct 1947
A man standing, reading a copy of the Newbury Weekly News, possibly to the rear of Blacket, Turner and Company's printworks in Northbrook Street
John Gay Collection: Miscellaneous
Slough
Date created: spring 1957
The trunk and twisted boughs of a conifer tree
John Gay Collection: Counties
Arborfield Cross, Wokingham
Date created: 1955 - 1957
Pub sign to the Bull Inn at Arborfield Cross leaning into the wind, and attached to a bracket with the word "Simonds" on it.
John Laing Collection
Shinfield Park, Wokingham
Date created: 27 Jul 1977
A general view of the new Berkshire County Council headquarters during construction, showing part of the structure at five to six storeys high
London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company
Windsor, Windsor And Maidenhead
Date created: circa 1890 - 1892
A view looking up at the Round Tower at Windsor Castle from the south-east
Alfred Newton and Sons
Winkfield, Bracknell Forest
Date created: 1896 - 1920
INTERIOR SHOWING ELIZABETHAN ROOF WITH OAK PILLARS
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Prospect Park, Reading, Reading
Date created: 1908 - 1913
GENERAL VIEW WITH PART OF THE HOUSE VISIBLE AT EDGE OF IMAGE
John Gay Collection: Counties
Arborfield Cross, Wokingham
Date created: 1955 - 1957
Pub sign to the Bull Inn at Arborfield Cross leaning into the wind, and attached to a bracket with the word "Simonds" on it
Stories about heritage in your local area
Historic England publishes news, blogs, research, videos, and podcasts celebrating England's rich heritage. Discover the stories we have about Berkshire.
10 Historic Locations Featured in Classic British Horror Movies
Mentions Oakley Court Hotel
England's heritage as the location for horror films.
The History of Religious Wall Paintings in England: From the Middle Ages to the Victorian Era
Mentions Eton College
Explore England's religious wall paintings, a blend of art and spirituality spanning the Middle Ages to the 19th century.
A Brief Introduction to the History of the Railway in England
Mentions Maidenhead Railway Bridge (MLN12327)
Discover when the first steam train was invented in England, and when the world's first public railway opened in Stockton and Darlington in 1825.
A History of Reading in 6 Places
Mentions Reading Abbey Ruins, The Forbury Garden, Abbey Gate
Reading is the largest town in the UK. Discover the history of the town through its sites such as the Abbey Ruins, Reading Goal and Market Place.
10 Lesser Known Places Linked to King Henry VIII
Mentions Windsor Castle
Discover the lesser-known historic sites linked to Henry VIII, including Whitehall Palace, Windsor Castle, Rievaulx Abbey, and Eltham Palace, London.
What Is the Oldest Castle in England?
Mentions Windsor Castle
Discover the oldest English castle contenders, including the Norman Berkhamsted Castle, Windsor Castle, Dover Castle and The White Tower, London.
The Life and Works of Visionary Engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Mentions Maidenhead Railway Bridge (MLN12327)
Discover the bridges, structures and ships that Isambard Kingdom Brunel designed, including the Great Western Railway and Clifton Suspension Bridge.
12 Places Connected to Queen Elizabeth I
Mentions Reading Abbey Ruins, Abbey Gate, Church of St Laurence
Discover the locations where Queen Elizabeth I lived and visited, including Hampton Court Palace, Hatfield House and Kenilworth Castle.
The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn in 12 Historic Places
Mentions Windsor Castle
Discover the locations where Anne Boleyn lived, including Hever Castle, the Tower of London, and Hampton Court Palace.
007 Historic Places Behind the World of James Bond
Mentions Eton College, Chapel Square No 4, Royal Military Academy
Explore some of the listed places that helped to build Bond’s world.
Women Architects Who Helped Shape England
Mentions St Crispin's School
Women have always influenced domestic design but it wasn’t until 1898 that the first female architect was admitted to the Royal Institute of British...
The Colourful World of Architect John Outram
Mentions McKay Trading Estate
The brilliant colours and exuberant gestures of Outram’s work have captured the popular imagination, yet still retain the ability to shock.
Mentions Berkshire
Wounded and sick service personnel and veterans perform vital restoration work on some of England's oldest canals.
The Canal & River Trust and Heritage Heroes
Wounded and sick service personnel and veterans perform vital restoration work on some of England's oldest canals.
Managing Lithic Sites
Mentions Berkshire
New advice addresses research and management issues for sites where prehistoric stone tools contain unique evidence.
Managing Lithic Sites
Mentions Berkshire
New advice addresses research and management issues for sites where prehistoric stone tools contain unique evidence.
The Roman Landscape Characterisation and Prediction Project
Mentions Berkshire
Harnessing the potential of existing knowledge to develop predictive models of Roman settlement.
Research Reports Roundup to February 2024
Mentions Berkshire
A roundup of new additions to the Historic England Research Reports database and a longer term overview of industrial heritage reports.
The Former Augustinian Priory of St John the Baptist, Latton, Essex
Mentions Berkshire
Recent research sheds new light on a previously poorly documented medieval priory at Latton, Essex, including the location of an annual fair.
A Preview of The Sir John Pennycuick Collection for Researchers
Mentions Berkshire
The Historic England Archive's Sir John Pennycuick Collection provides a photographic record of streets in early and mid-20th century England.
Cambridge University’s Darwin College Protected
Mentions URS Building,
The Dining Hall and the Rayne Building at Darwin College, Cambridge have been listed at Grade II.
Oldest Decoratively Carved Wood in Britain Found During Building Project
Mentions Berkshire
A large piece of decoratively carved wood discovered by chance has been identified by Historic England as being over 6,000 years old.
Historic England Launches Immersive Sound Walks Capturing the Nation's High Streets
Mentions Berkshire
Contemporary artists and Sound UK have created ‘High Street Sound Walks’ - new audio experiences for six English high streets.
Historic England Opens Consultation on Tall Buildings Advice
Mentions Berkshire
An updated draft Advice Note to guide the planning and design of tall buildings, is now out for public consultation.
More Than 2,500 Poignant War Memorials Listed During Four Year Project to Commemorate First World War Centenary
Mentions Leckhampstead War Memorial, Berkshire
Through the First World War Memorials programme, 2,645 First World War memorials have been listed, more than doubling the amount previously listed.
1980s Buildings Officially Become Heritage
Mentions McKay Trading Estate
Historic England announces the listing of 17 Post-Modern buildings
Berkshire's social history through photos
Over 10,000 images from the Historic England Archive have been specially selected and re-captioned for teachers, students, and anyone who wants to learn more about their local area.
Yattendon School, Yattendon Lane, Yattendon, West Berkshire
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
A small village school built in 1891 with high windows so that pupils would not be distracted.
Yattendon School, Yattendon Lane, Yattendon, West Berkshire
Wokingham Town Hall, Market place, Wokingham
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
Wokingham town hall was built in 1860 on the site of the Medieval Guildhall, which was demolished in 1858.
Wokingham Town Hall, Market place, Wokingham
Wittington Winch, Thames Towpath, Hurley, Windsor and Maidenhead
Period: Georgian (1714 - 1836)
Wittington Winch dates from the 18th century and was used to haul barges around Hurley Weir.
Wittington Winch, Thames Towpath, Hurley, Windsor and Maidenhead
Windsor Castle, Windsor, Windsor and Maidenhead
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
General view from the north-west looking across the River Thames towards Windsor Castle.
Windsor Castle, Windsor, Windsor and Maidenhead
Windsor Castle, Windsor, Windsor and Maidenhead
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
View from Peascod Street with a statue of Queen Victoria in the foreground. Windsor is England's largest castle and a royal palace.
Windsor Castle, Windsor, Windsor and Maidenhead
Windsor Castle, Windsor, Windsor and Maidenhead
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
Exterior view of the the north side from the Brocas Meadow.
Windsor Castle, Windsor, Windsor and Maidenhead
Windsor Castle, Windsor and Maidenhead
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
A view of the East Terrace of Windsor Castle. The gardens were designed by Sir Jeffry Wyatville between 1823 and 1826.
Windsor Castle, Windsor and Maidenhead
Windsor Bridge, Windsor, Windsor and Maidenhead
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
A general view showing men and schoolboys in Eton College uniform on Windsor Bridge, with a view of Windsor Castle beyond.
Windsor Bridge, Windsor, Windsor and Maidenhead
Visit grant-aided places near you
These places and buildings have been helped by Historic England's financial grants. Find local heritage in your neighbourhood that you never knew existed! Please note that opening times may vary.
Reading Abbey Ruins, St James' Church, Reading
The ruins of Reading Abbey include the south transept, treasury, chapter house, dormitory, and refectory.
