Reading [Map]

Reading is in Berkshire.

870 Battle of Englefield

871 Battle of Reading

1359 Double Royal Wedding

Reading [Map] is located where the River Kennet meets the River Thames.

Battle of Englefield

On 31 Dec 870 Æthelwulf Mercia Earldorman Berkshire (age 45) defeated the Viking army at the Battle of Englefield at Englefield. The Viking Army retreated to Reading [Map]. Sidrac Viking was killed.

Assers Life of Alfred 871. 871. 35. The Danes defeated at Englefield.77 In the year of our Lord's incarnation 871, which was the twenty-third of King Alfred's life, the heathen army, of hateful memory, left East Anglia, and, entering the kingdom of the West Saxons, came to the royal vill called Reading [Map], situated on the south bank of the Thames, in the district called Berkshire; and there, on the third day after their arrival, their [two] ealdormen, with great part of the army, rode forth for plunder, while the others made an entrenchment between the rivers Thames and Kennet, on the southern side of the same royal vill. They were encountered by Æthelwulf (age 46), Ealdorman of Berkshire, with his men, at a place called Englefield78 [in English, and in Latin 'The Field of the Angles'].79 Both sides fought bravely, and made long resistance to each other. At length one of the heathen ealdormen was slain, and the greater part of the army destroyed; upon which the rest saved themselves by flight, and the Christians gained the victory and held the battle-field.

Note 77. Chiefly from the Chronicle.

Note 78. Five and one-half miles southwest of Reading.

Note 79. Added from Florence of Worcester by Stevenson.

Battle of Reading

On 04 Jan 871 King Æthelred of Wessex (age 24) and Alfred the Great's (age 22) army attacked, but were repulsed by, the Viking army at Battle of Reading at Reading [Map]. Æthelwulf Mercia Earldorman Berkshire (age 46) was killed.

In 1492 Thomas White was born to William White of Reading and Mary Kibblewhite at Reading [Map].

On 07 Oct 1573 Archbishop William Laud was born to William Laud and Lucy Webbe at Reading [Map].

In 1591 Dean Thomas Turner was born to Thomas Turner of Heckfield in Hampshire in Reading [Map].

In 1656 Constantine Henry Phipps was born to Francis Phipps at Reading [Map].

Calendars. 26 Sep 1664. Reading [Map]. Grant to Thomas Metcalf and Miles Metcalf, brothers of Edmund Metcalf, for their good service to the king, the king's father Richard, late duke of York, and the king's uncle Richard, late Earl of Salisbury, of the custody of the body of Catharine Metcalf, late the wife of the said Edmund, and of all her lands and tenements in the county of York and in Kingeston on Hull, to hold during her idiotcy without rendering anything to the king, but finding a competent sustenance for her and supporting all charges, in the same manner as the same was granted to Thomas Witham, chancellor of the Exchequer, by letters patent, surrendered.

Pepy's Diary. 16 Jun 1668. Tuesday. So paying the reckoning, 14s. 4d., and servants, 2s., poor 1s., set out; and overtook one coach and kept a while company with it, till one of our horses losing a shoe, we stopped and drank and spent 1s. So on, and passing through a good part of this county of Wiltshire, saw a good house of Alexander Popham's (age 63), and another of my Lord Craven's (age 60), I think in Barkeshire. Come to Newbery [Map], and there dined, which cost me, and musick, which a song of the old courtier of Queen Elizabeth's, and how he was changed upon the coming in of the King (age 38), did please me mightily, and I did cause W. Hewer (age 26) to write it out, 3s. 6d. Then comes the reckoning, forced to change gold, 8s. 7d.; servants and poor, 1s. 6d. So out, and lost our way, which made me vexed, but come into it again; and in the evening betimes come to Reading [Map], and there heard my wife read more of "Mustapha", and then to supper, and then I to walk about the town, which is a very great one, I think bigger than Salsbury: a river runs through it, in seven branches, and unite in one, in one part of the town, and runs into the Thames half-a-mile off one odd sign of the Broad Face. W. Hewer (age 26) troubled with the headake we had none of his company last night, nor all this day nor night to talk. Then to my inn, and so to bed.

Europe, British Isles, South-Central England, Berkshire, Reading, Englefield

On 31 Dec 870 Æthelwulf Mercia Earldorman Berkshire (age 45) defeated the Viking army at the Battle of Englefield at Englefield. The Viking Army retreated to Reading [Map]. Sidrac Viking was killed.

Around 1455 Thomas Englefield probably in Englefield.

Europe, British Isles, South-Central England, Berkshire, Olympia Ballroom Reading

On 05 Jan 1964 the Rolling Stones played at the Ricky Tick club at the Olympia Ballroom Reading.

Europe, British Isles, South-Central England, Berkshire, Reading Abbey [Map]

On 23 Apr 1151 Adeliza of Louvain Queen Consort England (age 48) died. She was buried at Reading Abbey [Map].

In Apr 1156 William Plantagenet IX Count Poitiers (age 2) died at Wallingford Castle [Map]. He was buried at Reading Abbey [Map] at the feet of his great-grandfather King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

On 01 Jul 1175 Reginald de Dunstanville Fitzroy 1st Earl Cornwall (age 65) died at Chertsey, Surrey. He was buried at Reading Abbey [Map]. Earl Cornwall extinct. His son appears to have predeceaseed him by months.

In 1227 Hugh Mortimer died in a tournament. He was buried at Wigmore Abbey [Map]; his viscera were buried at Reading Abbey [Map]. His widow Eleanor Braose became a nun at Iffley.

On 22 Sep 1232 John Cornwall died at Marlow, Buckinghamshire. He was buried at Reading Abbey [Map].

After 13 Mar 1271 Henry "Almain" Cornwall (age 35) was buried at Reading Abbey [Map].

On 19 May 1359 , or thereabouts, a double-royal wedding celebration took place at Reading Abbey [Map] whereby two children of King Edward III of England (age 46) were married:

John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 19) and Blanche Plantagenet Duchess Lancaster (age 14) were married. She by marriage Countess Richmond. She the daughter of Henry of Grosmont 1st Duke Lancaster (age 49) and Isabel Beaumont Duchess Lancaster (age 39). He the son of King Edward III of England (age 46) and Philippa of Hainault Queen Consort England (age 44). They were half second cousin once removed. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Henry III of England.

John Hastings 2nd Earl Pembroke (age 11) and Margaret Plantagenet Countess of Pembroke (age 12) were married. At the time John Hastings 2nd Earl Pembroke (age 11) was a ward of King Edward III of England (age 55) who would enjoy the benefit of the substantial revenue of the Earldom of Pembroke until John came of age nine years later on 12 Sep 1368. She died two or so years later probably of plague. She the daughter of King Edward III of England (age 46) and Philippa of Hainault Queen Consort England (age 44). He the son of Laurence Hastings 1st Earl Pembroke and Agnes Mortimer Countess of Pembroke (age 42). They were half fourth cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King John "Lackland" of England.

On 24 Aug 1369 Edmund Mortimer 3rd Earl March, Earl Ulster (age 17) and Philippa Plantagenet Countess March 5th Countess Ulster (age 14) were married at Reading Abbey [Map]. She by marriage Countess March. He by marriage Earl Ulster. She the daughter of Lionel Plantagenet 1st Duke of Clarence and Elizabeth Burgh Duchess of Clarence. He the son of Roger Mortimer 2nd Earl March and Philippa Montagu Countess March (age 37). They were fourth cousins. She a granddaughter of King Edward III of England.

On 29 Nov 1416 Constance York Countess Gloucester (age 42) died at Reading Abbey [Map].

Europe, British Isles, South-Central England, Berkshire, Reading Museum

In 1927 Stuart Piggott (age 16) was employed as an assitant at Reading Museum.

Europe, British Isles, South-Central England, Berkshire, Reading School Reading

Around 1585 Archbishop William Laud (age 11) educated at Reading School Reading.

Europe, British Isles, South-Central England, Berkshire, Woodcote Reading

Evelyn's Diary. 01 Jan 1655. Having with my family performed the public offices of the day, and begged a blessing on the year I was now entering, I went to keep the rest of Christmas at my brother's, R. Evelyn (age 32), at Woodcot.

Evelyn's Diary. 30 Dec 1665. To Woodcot, where I supped at my Baroness Mordaunt's (age 33) at Ashsted [Note. Possibly in Fulham where Baroness Mordaunt was subsequently buried?] where was a room hung with pintado, full of figures great and small, prettily representing sundry trades and occupations of the Indians, with their habits; here supped also Dr. Duke, a learned and facetious gentleman.

Evelyn's Diary. 17 Feb 1688. I received the sad news of my niece Montague's death at Woodcot on the 15th.

The Oratory School Woodcote Reading

Around 1897 Bernard Fitzalan Howard 3rd Baron Howard (age 11) educated at The Oratory School Woodcote Reading.

Around 1923 Bernard Fitzalan 16th Duke of Norfolk (age 14) educated at The Oratory School Woodcote Reading.