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The Great Britain Guide

Country parks · South East England

Forbury Gardens

Forbury Gardens — park in Reading, Berkshire, England, UK.

Forbury Gardens, country parks in South East England

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Plan your visit

Typical visit
1.5 h–3 h
Nearest railway station
Reading · 0.4 km
  • Free entry
  • Family-friendly
  • Dog-friendly

About

Forbury Gardens is a country park in the United Kingdom. Records date its origin to 1854. It covers approximately 2 km². Heritage designation: Grade II listed park and garden. Managed by Reading Borough Council. Wikidata describes it as: "park in Reading, Berkshire, England, UK". Coordinates: 51.4569°, -0.9672°.

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From the Wikipedia article

Forbury Gardens is a public park in the town of Reading in the English county of Berkshire. The park is on the site of the outer court of Reading Abbey, which was in front of the Abbey Church. The site was formerly known as the Forbury, and one of the roads flanking the current gardens is still known as The Forbury. Fairs were held on the site three times a year until the 19th century. The gardens are listed as Grade II in the English Heritage Register of Historic Parks and Gardens, and are managed by Reading Borough Council. In 2020, they were the site of a terrorist attack in which three people were killed and others injured. Forbury, a suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin, was named after the gardens by early resident William Henry Valpy, who was born in Reading.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Background

Description

Besides the landscaping and planting of the gardens, the principal features are the Bandstand, the Maiwand Lion, the Forbury Hill, and the Rustic Fountain. Facilities include a refreshment kiosk and public toilets. Closed-circuit cameras monitor the whole Gardens area, in a bid to deter drug use and anti-social behaviour. The garden has received a Green Flag Award for being welcoming, safe, well maintained and involving the community. The Forbury Hill is now accessible by two winding footpaths (wheelchair-accessible) that lead to an area that is elevated about 3 m above the surrounding gardens. A single plane tree stands in the middle, and around the outer edge of the top of the hill are…

Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Coordinates
51.4569, -0.9672
District
Reading
Parish
Reading, unparished area
Postcode
RG1 3EH
Parliamentary constituency
Reading Central
Established
1854
Nearest railway station
Reading0.4 km
Opening
| map = Berkshire

Sources

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Frequently asked questions

Where is Forbury Gardens?
Forbury Gardens is in South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode RG1 3EH), in the parish of Reading, unparished area.
When was Forbury Gardens built?
Built or established in 1854.
Who runs Forbury Gardens?
Forbury Gardens is operated by Reading Borough Council.
Is Forbury Gardens a listed building?
Forbury Gardens is officially recognised as Grade II listed park and garden listed.
Is Forbury Gardens free to visit?
Yes, Forbury Gardens is free to enter.
How do I get to Forbury Gardens?
The nearest railway station is Reading, about 0.4 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode RG1 3EH.