Monday 31 October 2016

Station Hill Reading


I went over to Reading the other day and was rather shocked to see that all of Station hill had changed again. Now I admit it was a while since I had bee to the town and the last they were preparing to demolish some buildings . I'll fill you in a bit with some new and old photos.




This building I knew as the Foster Wheeler Building. I thought it was going to be demolished but it seems the cladding was removed and they added another four stories to it.

This part here used to have a Subway you could walk along to the Bus Station


The area behind the fencing used to be Reading Bus Station. I might add I remember the building that was there before that






All this are used to have an office block and shopping arcade














To give you an idea as to what used to be here, the office block, the Bus Station was the near the Office Tower taken a couple of years ago as they prepaired to demolish the building









The original Foster Wheeler building before it was changed.
All of Station hill was redeveloped back in the late 1960's where I remember all the work being done. It's not an area I liked very much so demolishing it can only improve the look
If you click the link you can see some photos I took of Station Hill and Reading Bus Station back in 2009 
Taking Part in Our world Tuesday

Sunday 30 October 2016

St Mary's Butts



I visited St Mary's Church in Reading the other day for my blog and while talking to the lady's selling charity Christmas Cards mentions the Butts and told them the story behid the name, I was supprised when they told me they never knew of it, told them the meaning behind the name. So just in case you are wondering if I am talking about another kind of butt here is what it really means. The  Information comes from Wikipedia
 "In the Middle Ages, Edward IV made it compulsory for all yeomen in England to learn archery. An archery butts was set up on the land in front of the Minster Church of St Mary the Virgin. It was used by the adult males of Reading to practice on Sundays. Some of the archers who fought at the Battle of Agincourt trained at St Mary's Butts. In 1631 the town paid £3 to have the archery grounds closed."

When I came out of the church I noticed a mural on the base of a  CCTV pole showing Archers


 Round the otherside were two more


And across the road on a communications box the Achery Butt 


So if you go to Reading and find yourself in St Mary's Butts you know the story behind the name 
Taking Part in Monday Mural

Thursday 27 October 2016

Halloween Moon


Ok I know it's few days away &  I took the photos a fewdays ago but I thought they would be OK for Halloween


 Rose thorns got in the way 


The Moon not quite full but the best I could do. Have a Happy Halloween 


Thursday 20 October 2016

Hinton Ampner Sky



This is my 1000th post and I 'm joining with my Favorite Linky SkyWatch Friday The photos are from a recent visit to Hinton Ampner


 Hinton Ampner House


 Turn rond the ther way and this is the view you see of the coutryside


 One of the lawns, this one is in the Walled Garden looking towards the church
Going to take a break from Blogging for a week or so

Saturday 15 October 2016

Grand Opening



My wife & I along with my son headed to Newbury a few weeks ago to Camp Hopson where they were having a grand opening after weeks of refurbishing the department store. The entrance in off the carpark was lined with banners

 

Thought it looked very welcoming 


After a quick look round it was upstairs to the Terrace cafe which had gone through a transformation and a new name


I loved the decorations using crockery 


and had to take a couple of photos especially the teapots 


Out on the main stree the food market was back, these cupcakes looked really scrummy 


Along with dishes like this 


Or fresh baked bread


but you can never have enough cake
Taking Part in Our World Tuesday

Monday 10 October 2016

The Village of Collingbourne Ducis




I posted some photos of the church a couple of weeks ago so I thought I would show the village in this weeks Our World Tuesday





The view I got looking down from the road leading to the village hall





 Looking along the main road past one of the thatched cottages

The pub is called the Blue Lion and unusual name, most are called the Red Lion


The village sign 






An old Mile Stone














Another of the roads through the village towards some thatched cottages













Row of cottages














Another of the thatched cottages 


Topically  looking English  cottage


There is even a stream running through the village 






Bridges crossing them


A thatched owl on a cottage porch

This cottage was in the first photo and I'm sure it was a pub at one time now like many it's closed and converted into a house


Finally back to the village hall.
 
Hope you enjoyed the little tour