Reading

Lying just 30 minutes from London, Reading is a thriving town, both for being on the London commuter belt and for its own industry. Sitting in the heart of the Royal county of Berkshire, Reading is bursting with Medieval Churches, old coaching inns and sites of both historical interest and modern culture.

Every year the town plays host to an influx of young music lovers from across the world, who flock here for the Reading Festival, where some of the best names in Brit Pop, rock and indie music perform over a long-weekend in summer.

For a more historic take on the town, the ancient Reading Abbey has many stories to tell. Although the Abbey now lies in ruins, there is a museum dedicated to its myths and legends. Built in June 1121 by Henry I, the Abbey is situated between two rivers, the Thames to the North, and the Kennet to the South. It is said that the Abbey once held a number of relics including Christ’s foreskin, as well as blood and water from his wounds. The museum has displays of exquisite carvings dating back to Norman times, which show the riches, and splendour the Abbey must have once displayed.