Broad Street

Reading's main shopping street, Broad Street was laid out shortly after the foundation of Reading Abbey in 1120. It appeared as 'Brode Stret' on John Speed's map of 1611 and hosted the Glorious Revolution's only battle in 1688. Until 1862, its eastern end comprised two narrow, parallel streets - Butcher Row & Fisher Row.

The eastern end of Broad Street was pedestrianised in 1997 and re-paved with red brick in 2001.

Reading

Reading is a town in the English county of Berkshire. It is regarded as the county town although, since the county council was abolished in 1998, that is a distinction of traditional rather than practical significance. It is the UK's largest town, having been denied official city status no less than four times - in 2000, 2002, 2012 and 2022. As such, it remains a borough, and has held that status since at least the time of the Domesday Book in 1068. A royal charter, granting independence from control by Reading Abbey, was issued in 1253. A second charter was issued in 1542, reflecting the abbey's dissolution in 1538. Since 1998, the borough has been a unitary authority.

Go to left end of street
This will take you to the scene containing the leftmost building on the side of the street that you are facing.

Go to middle of street
This will take you to a scene that is approximately halfway along the side of the street that you are facing.

Go to right end of street
This will take you to the scene containing the rightmost building on the side of the street that you are facing.

Open street map
This will take you to a page displaying a clickable street map from which you may navigate to any scene in this street.

Go to next left
This will shift you leftwards down the street by one scene.

Go forward
This would let you move forward into an adjoining street. However, there is not yet another street available for you to do that.

Face other side of street
This will turn you about 180° so that you are facing a scene on the opposite side of the street.

Go to next right
This will shift you righttwards down the street by one scene.

Open year selector
This will take you to a page displaying all the years that are currently available for the scene that you are looking at, any one of which may be clicked to navigate to that year.

Go to earliest year available
This will take you to the first year available for the scene that you are currently looking at.

Go to previous year
This will take the scene that you are currently looking at back one year in time. (This may or may not look any different depending on whether anything changed between those two years).

Go to next year
This will take the scene that you are currently looking at forward one year in time. (This may or may not look any different depending on whether anything changed between those two years).

Go to latest year available
This will take you to the most recent year available for the scene that you are currently looking at.

Building:
No. 3, Broad Street

Probably built in the early 18th century, this building is believed to be timber-framed. It was Grade II listed in 1978.

 

No. 3
ChangeGroup (bureau de change)

ChangeGroup is a London-headquartered high street bureau de change chain founded in 1992.

Building:
The Cock / London Tavern / Hobgoblin / Alehouse

A pub has stood here since at least 1565, when it was called 'The Cock.' Its façade was rebuilt in 1901, after it collapsed. It was Grade II listed in 1978.

 

No. 2
The Alehouse (public house)

The Alehouse is a public house occupying No. 2, Broad Street. It has been a free house since 2009 and was renamed from the Hobgoblin in 2011.

Junction:
Butter Market corner

Broad Street ends in the east at a staggered crossroads, where Broad Street, Butter Market, King Street and Minster Street all meet.

 

North to
Butter Market

Butter Market leads to Market Place, to which the market was moved from St Mary's Butts in the 12th century for the convenience of Reading Abbey's monks.

Butter Market was pedestrianised in 2007 as part of a programme of extending town centre pedestrianisation.

 

East to
King Street

King Street in its modern layout dates from 1760, when two parallel narrow lanes - Sun Lane and Back Lane - were united to form one broader street.