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Berkshire Leasing

Did You Know?

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.

The sculpture of Reading's Forbury Lion, or Maiwand Lion, took two years to design and complete, and the is one of the world's largest cast iron statues. It was erected in 1884 to commemorate the deaths of 329 men from the 66th (Berkshire) Regiment of Foot during the campaign in the Second Anglo-Afghan War in Afghanistan between 1878 and 1880.

The Old Manor Inn in Bracknell, Berkshire is said to have been one of Dick Turpin's favourite dwelling places, perhaps because there was an escape tunnel large enough for him to ride through in an emergency. The pub is one of the town's oldest buildings, and as a a 17th-century brick manor house, it features a number of priest holes.

Berkshire is well known for being the home of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the Queen and Eton College, the prestigious boarding school that has educated royalty and a number of British Prime Ministers. To the East the county is more urbanised, in the West it is more rural.

The Berkshire Downs, a chalk downland and area of outstanding natural beauty, occupy the west of the county. They are the source of the River Kennet, which flows east through Newbury before meeting the Thames at Reading. The Thames then forms Berkshire's northern border, flowing past Maidenhead, before entering the county and flowing past Slough and Windsor.

There is evidence of prehistoric settlement on the Berkshire Downs, including the Iron Age Uffington White Horse, now in Oxfordshire. In the Anglo-Saxon period the region was contested by Mercia and Wessex, and Alfred the Great was born in Wantage, also now in Oxfordshire.

Berkshire has been the scene of some notable battles throughout 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 (at Wash Common) in 1643 and the Second Battle of Newbury (at Speen) in 1644.

Berkshire is known for having a long history dating back to Roman times! It was once part of the ancient kingdom of Wessex. And, the historic town of Windsor, located in Berkshire, is home to Windsor Castle, one of several official residences of the British Royals.

If you ever get to go to Berkshire, you might want to see Windsor Great Park! This expansive park covers around 4,800 acres and surrounds Windsor Castle. It’s known for its scenic beauty and diverse wildlife, and it’s thought that 1.5 million people visit the Castle and its grounds every year.

Berkshire is famous for its horse racing events, particularly the Royal Ascot. It is a prestigious annual horse racing event attended by the British royal family and many other celebrities! It’s home to racecourses such as Royal Windsor and Newbury, too.

There are many notable individuals who have lived in Berkshire. For example, Kate Middleton (Duchess of Cambridge), actors George Clooney, Ricky Gervais, Nicholas Hoult, and Kate Winslet, director Sam Mendes, and Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker all call Berkshire home.

The highly prestigious Eton College is a public school offering exclusive tuition to Berkshire families – but did you know that 20 Prime Ministers of the UK, including David Cameron and Boris Johnson, studied there? Cameron was the first Eton graduate to become Prime Minister in 46 years.