The Ceremonial County of Berkshire in England

The Ceremonial County of Berkshire is situated in South East England.

The area of Berkshire is 488 Square Miles (1,264 Square Kilometres). Making Berkshire the 28th smallest county in Great Britain (out of 91) and the 9th smallest county in England (out of 48).

Berkshire: England's Historic Gem

Berkshire, just to the west of London, offers a splendid blend of historical significance and modern marvels, wrapped in the tranquility of its picturesque landscapes.

The East: A Royal Touch

To the east, almost reaching the M25 London Motorway, you'll find bustling towns such as Slough, Maidenhead, and the most renowned of them all, Windsor. The highlight here is undoubtedly Windsor Castle, the residence of the English Royal Family and one of England's premier tourist attractions. Not far from this majestic edifice, children and adults alike can indulge their playful side at Legoland, a theme park that promises joy and creativity.

The West: A Blend of Tranquility and Mysticism

Venturing westwards, the scenery changes from urban sprawl to rural tranquility. Around the market town of Newbury lie numerous sleepy villages. The Berkshire Downs, part of the North Wessex Downs area of Natural Beauty, beckon nature enthusiasts. This serene chalk downland shelters the pure waters of the chalk land stream, which bubble up from springs and merge with regional rivers like the Lambourn and Pang, eventually meeting the River Kennet.

But it's not just nature that attracts visitors to this side. The ancient ridgeway, a Neolithic passage, crosses these lands. It touches sacred sites like Waylands Smithy and Uffington Camp, and not to be missed is the iconic White Horse, a gargantuan chalk figure with origins lost to time. Its mystery only deepens with the nearby Roman marching camp, a testament to Britain's multi-layered history.

Battles That Echo Through Time

Berkshire's landscape is steeped in the blood and valor of historic battles. The Civil War saw two major confrontations in Newbury in 1643, with Royalists clashing with parliamentary forces, each side amassing around 15,000 soldiers. The nearby Donnington Castle wasn't spared either, facing a siege by the parliamentary army. Reading, the county town, underwent its ordeal with the 11-day siege of Reading. And who can forget the intriguingly named 'Battle of Broad Street' in 1688, a clash that might puzzle modern-day visitors to Reading, but was pivotal in its time.

Modern Berkshire: Growth and Connectivity

Today, the scars of war have healed, replaced by infrastructural veins like the M4. This motorway, also known as the M4 Corridor, stretches from London to Wales, making Berkshire a hotspot for hi-tech companies, bringing both employment and prosperity. The gentle flow of the River Thames through Reading, and the passage of the River Kennet through towns like Marlborough, Hungerford, and Newbury, serve as constant reminders of Berkshire's harmonious blend of the old and the new.

Berkshire isn't just a county; it's a captivating narrative of England's past and its vibrant present, waiting to be explored.

The area of Berkshire is 488 Square Miles (1,264 Square Kilometres). Making Berkshire the 28th smallest county in Great Britain (out of 91) and the 9th smallest county in England (out of 48).

Map of Berkshire

A map showing the boundary of Berkshire in relation to other counties.

Map of the County of Berkshire

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Cities, Towns and Villages in Berkshire
Aldermaston
Aldermaston Soke
Aldermaston Wharf
Arborfield
Arborfield Cross
Arborfield Garrison
Ascot
Ashampstead
Ashmore Green
Barkham
Beech Hill
Beedon
Beenham
Binfield
Bisham
Boxford
Bracknell
Bradfield
Bray
Brightwalton
Brimpton
Brimpton Common
Brockhill
Broomhall
Bucklebury
Burchett's Green
Burghfield
Burghfield Common
Burnt Hill
Caversham
Chaddleworth
Chapel Row
Charvil
Chavey Down
Cheapside
Chieveley
Cold Ash
Colnbrook
Compton
Cookham
Cranbourne
Crazies Hill
Crowthorne
Curridge
Datchet
East Garston
East Ilsley
Eastbury
Eddington
Enborne Row
Englefield
Eton
Eton Wick
Eversley
Farley Hill
Farnborough
Fawley
Fifield
Finchampstead
Frilsham
Frogmill
Great Lea Common
Great Shefford
Greenham
Hampstead Norreys
Hamstead Marshall
Hare Hatch
Hermitage
Holloway
Holyport
Horton
Hungerford
Hungerford Green
Hurley
Hurst
Hythe End
Inkpen
Kiln Green
Kintbury
Knowl Hill
Lambourn
Lambourn Woodlands
Langley Common
Leckhampstead
Little Hungerford
Littlewick Green
Longlane
Lower Basildon
Lower Green
Lower Padworth
Maiden's Green
Maidenhead
Midgham
Moneyrow Green
Mortimer
New Town
Newbury
Newell Green
North Ascot
Oakley Green
Old Warren
Old Windsor
Padworth Common
Paley Street
Pangbourne
Peasemore
Plaistow Green
Poyle
Reading
Remenham Hill
Riseley
Ruscombe
Ryeish Green
Sandhurst
Shefford Woodlands
Shinfield
Shurlock Row
Sindlesham
Slough
Sonning
South Ascot
Southend
Spencers Wood
Stanford Dingley
Stockcross
Stratfield Mortimer
Streatley
Stud Green
Sulham
Sulhamstead
Sunningdale
Sunninghill
Swallowfield
Temple
Thatcham
The Holt
The Village
Theale
Three Mile Cross
Tidmarsh
Touchen-end
Tutts Clump
Twyford
Ufton Nervet
Upper Basildon
Upper Bucklebury
Upper Lambourn
Upper Woolhampton
Waltham St Lawrence
Wargrave
Warren Row
Water Oakley
West End
West Ilsley
Whistley Green
White Waltham
Wickham
Windsor
Winkfield
Winkfield Row
Winkfield Street
Winnersh
Winterbourne
Wokingham
Woodlands St Mary
Woodley
Woodside
Woolhampton
Woolley Green
World's End
Wraysbury
Yattendon