Beautiful Berkshire

I know my heart is in Cumbria and amongst the beautiful fells, but I thought I should probably spare a thought for the county I've called home on and off for pretty much half my life.

I've had periods of living in Wales, Dorset, Hampshire, Derbyshire and Bedfordshire, but my parents have been here for 45 years and it's always been home. We are, however, a northern family - Dad's from Lancashire and most of the rest of the family is from Cumbria and Yorkshire.

Berkshire is a beautiful, gentle county with the Thames meandering right through the middle of it. Home to Windsor Castle, Eton, Ascot and Lambourn which is famous for its association with some of the best racehorses in the world. Ricky Gervais, Kate Winslet, the Duchess of Cambridge, Ranulph Fiennes, Chris Tarrant and Henry VI were all born here; George Orwell, Diana Dors and a lot of Britain's royalty are buried here including Henry VIII, Jane Seymour and Charles I at Windsor and Henry I at the now ruined Reading Abbey. George Clooney has a house on the Thames, Ghandi stopped for tea, cake and meditation in Reading; also where Jane Austen went to school, and the Dalai Lama has strong connections with the Tandoori Restaurant in Caversham which he has visited on occasion.

the oxfordshire plain from white horse hill — white horse hill looking over the oxfordshire plain

Berkshire has one of Britain's oldest roads, the Ridgeway, running through it as well as the Thames Path - the only long distance path to follow a river for most of its length - the Test Way and the Wayfarers Walk. Beacon Hill is one of its best known hill forts and is also home to the grave of the Earl of Carnarvon (he of King Tut fame).

The highest point is Walbury Hill at 297m, which is also the highest point in south east England. The Berkshire Downs and the North Wessex Downs are Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Lambourn Downs are a Special Area of Conservation. There is the world renowned Bronze Age hillchalk White Horse at Uffington, near Dragon Hill where George is said to have slain the dragon (both now classed as Oxfordshire, but were traditionally in Berkshire). Cox Green Roman Villa, Cliveden of Profumo fame, Donington Castle, Basildon Park, Dorney Court, Ufton Court, Shaw House, Ashdown House and Highclere Castle aka Downton Abbey are all within the county. Combe Gibbet has a replica gibbet, the original last used in 1676, which is built on Inkpen Long Barrow.

In the early 19th century, the age old custom of selecting the Mayor of Bartlemas on Mace Monday (the first after 25th July) was still taking place in Newbury. After selection, a meal of bacon and beans was served and a cabbage stalk on a pole was paraded in the mayoral procession.

The old Berkshire custom of Rough Music was recorded in Aborfield and Warfield; if a man was known or suspected of beating his wife, neighbours would gather outside his house and bang pots and pans, blow horns or anything to make a racket and keep him awake. Hungerford is the only town in the country left still celebrating the medieval Hocktide Festival on the second Tuesday after Easter. John of Gaunt gave the town special hunting and fishing rights which are still celebrated today by, amongst others, Tutti Men who carry flower covered poles with an orange on top and Tutti Wenches who give out oranges and ask for kisses.

Aldermaston is only one of 11 places left that still holds a Candle Auction where people bid to be able to lease a meadow while a candle studded with horse nails burns. When the nails drop out, the person who has the bid wins.

Swan Upping also takes place in the third week of July where the Royal Swan Uppers (all swans are technically owned by the Queen) round up swans on certain stretches of the Thames where they are checked, marked and released

So, whilst Berkshire might not be as hilly as I'd like, there are some beautiful villages along the Thames, rolling countryside and lots of history.

Outdoor Ramblings

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