Caversham Court Gardens: A Heritage Guide is available from Wordplay in Prospect Street, Caversham, at other local bookshops
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Heritage guide to Caversham Court Gardens
By Linda FortJanuary 08, 2013
The Friends of Caversham Court Gardens have worked together on a labour of love to produce a new guide.
Published by Two Rivers Press, ‘Caversham Court Gardens: A Heritage Guide’ covers the history of all the houses built on the riverside site, starting with a 12th century rectory lived in by the priest of St Peter’s Church.
It was replaced by a Tudor house and this is turn was remodelled in the Victorian era.
The site was bought by Reading Borough Council in the 1930s and the last house was demolished in 1933 when Caversham Court Gardens opened to the public.
In 2004, with Heritage Lottery funding, the council was able to reconstruct the site, restoring the footprints of the houses and the buildings remaining on the site.
The new guide has been written by members of the Friends of Caversham Court Gardens as part of the Caversham 100 Years On project.
This was a project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund to raise awareness and celebrate the history of Caversham, which joined the borough of Reading in 1911.
The new book tells the story behind the gardens, one of the gems among Reading’s parks and open spaces.
The richly illustrated guide covers the history of the houses that stood on the site, the families who lived there and the development of the gardens through the ages.
Caversham Court Gardens: A Heritage Guide is available from Wordplay in Prospect Street, Caversham, at other local bookshops, and from Two Rivers Press (http://tworiverspress.com), priced £5.
It will also be on sale at friends’ events, including the annual meeting on Wednesday, February 20. All are welcome at the event, at Reading Canoe Club, The Warren, Caversham, at 7.30pm.
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