Reading

United Kingdom / England / Reading /
Reading (pronounced 'Red-ing') is a large town that applied in 2000 to be a city and the largest town in the UK. It has a population of 230,000. The Borough of Reading has a population of 140,000 and does not include contiguous Woodley nor almost all of Tilehurst.

The name comes from the Saxon nobleman's name Readdha, a contemporary of Woka (eg. Wokingham and Woking) and Sunna (eg. Sonning). It was a prominent Market Town in the Middle Ages - Henry I is buried in the town centre Abbey ruins. It rivalled Abingdon as the largest town in Berkshire and in the 18th century became industrial. The Victorian era saw the arrival of the railway and more industry: the town grew and soon overtook Abingdon as the county town of Berkshire.

In the 20th century the town annexed Caversham forming the north bank of the Thames in 1911 then in the 1950s Earley, Woodley and Tilehurst grew. In 1999 the Oracle Shopping Centre was built. Today Reading is the largest settlement in Berkshire with a commercial and retail town centre, business parks on its outskirts specialising in information technology and scientific technologies. Its attractions include the annual WOMAD and rock music festivals, cinemas and theatres. Its railway station is the first major stop on the Great Western (west) axis from London, called at by more than half of long distance intercity trains.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reading,_Berkshire
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   51°26'29"N   -0°57'49"E
This article is protected.

Comments

  • It's the largest town without city status in the UK.
  • that's just because the division of rural lands
  • No it is in fact due to the lack of a cathedral.
  • Not strictly speaking. In medieval times, a Town could become a City if it incorporated and received a royal charter, and in modern times the entire process is managed by a government office, which extends charters based on a number of factors. Traditionally a cathedral automatically grants city status (such as in the tiny, tiny city of St. Davids in Wales), but there are cities in the UK without.
  • Huddersfield is actually the largest town in the UK. It was offered city status from the Queen but the local residents declined inferring that they would like to remain a town.
  •  49 km
  •  120 km
  •  149 km
  •  236 km
  •  252 km
  •  255 km
  •  274 km
  •  409 km
  •  434 km
  •  501 km