Grade II * Watlington House tours
Heritage Open Days 2023
A hidden gem of a house and garden in the centre of Reading...
Watlington House Trust invite you to join them for their first in-person HODs event since 2019. You will hear about its history from the Tudor Period to today and the garden restoration and have the opportunity to meet some of the tenants. There will be short tours during the morning.
Watlington House (Grade II*) is one of Reading’s oldest buildings with parts dating back to the 1500 but mainly built in 1688 and the mid 1700s. Since 1930 run for the benefit of the community. Now a CIO, their net income is used to maintain the building and pay running costs and undertake vital repair work. There are 4 tenants of the house and many users of the late 1800's Garden Hall / Tin Tabernacle.
During the morning one of their trustees, Clive Williams OBE, will give a series of short talks about the history of the house. Gardener and Trustee Gaila Adair will explain about the restoration of the garden undertaken in 2014-15 - and no doubt the Box Moth battle!
Architect Trustee, Matt Andrews, will be there to explain about the careful repair & improvement works undertaken to the house in recent years.
Several tenants will open their rooms to enable you to see more of the house and explain about their activities. This will include; Weston & Co Architects, Reserve Forces Employment Association, Berkshire Youth. The Mills Archive, QAVS Winners, will have a special exhibition about the development of renewable energy.
Access
The house and garden are not routinely open to the public other than at Heritage Open Days. As this is a historic house there is no disabled access to the upper floors of the house. Those with wheelchairs are able to access the house from the front (on Watlington St) and the ground floor rooms only, they will not be able to descend into the garden from the house because of a set of steep brick steps. Access to the garden is a short trail along South Street. There are no disabled toilets. There is limited parking on site, access via South Street. Also pay parking in South Street.
This event is organised by The Watlington House Trust
