Berkshire Leasing

Did You Know?

Berkshire has been the scene of some notable battles through its history. Alfred the Great's campaign against the Danes included the Battles of Englefield, Ashdown and Reading. Newbury was the site of two English Civil War battles: the First Battle of Newbury in 1643 and the Second Battle of Newbury in 1644.

Berkshire is located in South East England and is one of the home counties located close to London and the South West region. Prominent towns in the area include Reading, Windsor, Eton, Maidenhead and Bracknell.

Windsor Castle in Berkshire is the largest inhabited castle in the world? Successive monarchs from William the Conqueror onwards have had a hand in extending and altering the building. 

King Henry I is buried at Reading Abbey in Berkshire, perhaps not surprising given he founded it in 1121. He died in France, and his embalmed body had to be returned wrapped in hide to delay decay.

19 of Britain’s 52 Prime Ministers have been educated at Eton, Berkshire, David Cameron is of course the latest in a list that includes Robert Walpole , the Duke of Wellington , Harold Macmillan and William Gladstone . It has also produced a Thai Prime Minister and two Northern Ireland PMs.

The Ostrich pub in Colnbrook, Berkshire is the third oldest pub in all England? King John stayed here on his way to seal Magna Carta in 1215 . It was established in 1106 by one Milo Crispin, and was originally named simply The Hospice 

In 1825 Richard Cox, from Berkshire a retired brewer, grew the first Cox's Apples in the orchard of his house on the Bath Road. Some of his original trees are still said to exist there.

Berkshire hosts more Group 1 flat horse races than any other county. Ascot Racecourse is used for thoroughbred horse racing. It is one of the leading racecourses in the United Kingdom, hosting 13 of the UK's 35 annual Group 1 races. The course is closely associated with the British Royal Family, being approximately 6 miles (10 km) from Windsor Castle, and owned by the Crown Estate.