Reading is one of the UK’s premier sites for economic oversight and practice, with some of the best accounting firms in Reading for professional businesses and limited companies. Even though Reading is popular for economic prosperity and responsible business insights, this town also boasts an interesting history and diverse culture that places it directly into the zeitgeist of some of England’s most popular cities.
Read on to discover some interesting facts about Reading.
King Henry I and Reading Abbey
In the 12th-century, King Henry I ordered the construction of what would become one of England’s most pristine and opulent Abbey’s next to Westminster Abbey. Reading Abbey has a long history of housing famous occupants throughout the centuries: Queen Elizabeth I (sent to live in the Abbey in exile), Jane Austen (attended boarding school on the grounds of the Abbey in the late-18th-century), and Oscar Wilde (imprisoned on the grounds of the Abbey in the late-19th-century). The Abbey fell into ruins in the 20th-century and those ruins can be toured today.
The Birthplace of Kate Middleton
Now Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge, Reading was the birthplace of Kate Middleton where she also frequently spent a majority of her childhood before marrying the Prince of Wales’ eldest son in 2011.
Victorian Architecture
Outside of London, Reading is the home to some of the UK’s most well-preserved examples of Victorian architecture, which can be seen along streets and alleys all along with the town. The works of Pugin, Soane, and Waterhouse liter the landscape which contrasts sharply with the thriving contemporary atmosphere and activities that occur among the 19the-century surroundings.
The Bayeux Tapestry
Within the walls of the Reading Museum lies the most accurate and expertly-detailed replica of the Bayeux Tapestry. This replica of the famous tapestry immortalising the Battle of Hastings in 1066 is one of the most fateful and meticulously designed replicas available for viewing.
The University of Reading
Founded in the 19th-century, the University of Reading is consistently ranked as one of the world’s top 200 most prestigious colleges. Some of the brightest minds in Reading’s superb business sector are counted as graduates of the town’s most popular universities.
The Reading Festival
The Reading Festival is held annually in August and is not only one of the most popular music festivals within the UK, but it is also the oldest music festival still running in the world. The Reading Festival has seen the largest display of multiple genres and eras of popular music since its inception in the 1960s.
Reading 2050 Vision
Among Reading’s many historical facts and statistics, the town is also looking with one eye planted firmly in the future. Reading operates on a manifesto to become one of England’s most culturally diverse, economically prosperous, and environmentally sustainable towns by the year 2050.
Reading is a town that is defined by its economically diverse output, but Reading is also so much more than just a thriving business center. Reading’s history and its distinctive facts also make the town one of the nation’s most distinctive destinations.