The Gatehouse website record for Reading Forbury Hill

In the civil parish of Reading. In the historic county of Berkshire (Modern Authority of Reading, 1974 county of Berkshire).

A motte had been built by King Stephen on Abbey land and was destroyed in 1153. It was evidently used as part of the town's Civil War defences. (King)
Circular mound 2.0m high situated on a good position on a northern facing slope overlooking the River Thames. Its original purpose or date is not known, but it was incorporated into a garden design during the mid C19. Possibly a Civil War battery. (PastScape)
There was a castle a mile away but that does not exclude this being the site of a temporary C12 castle. However the Civil War use of the site means that without excavation establishing a date of origin is difficult.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SU71907363

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 244967
Further information may be available from the holder of the county Historic Environment Record. In particular 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website, or elsewhere.

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The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of English Heritage and other individuals and organisations. All the sources given should be consulted to identify the original copyright holder and permission obtained from them before use of the information on this site for commercial purposes. I do not receive any income from this site and I fund it myself.
The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.

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