″Having been through the process, I find it difficult to believe that I was quite so sceptical at the beginning - I really did think I could do without your service. How wrong I was, I know we could not have found such a beautiful house without your help.″
Berkshire County
Introduction
Equerry have providied home search services in Berkshire since 2000.
With a population of around 805,000, the county of Berkshire in the south east region of England borders the counties of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Surrey, Wiltshire, Hampshire and the London region. It is often referred to as The Royal County of Berkshire because Windsor Castle lies within the county bounds. This title was recognised by the Queen in 1958 and then formally issued in 1974.
Berkshire is one of the oldest counties in England, being reliably dated back to the setting of the traditional county borders by King Alfred the Great of Wessex.
Reading is the county town of Berkshire.
Interesting Facts
- The Summer Snowflake is Berkshire’s county flower
- Berkshire is the only non-metropolitan county in England with multiple districts but no county council.
- Berkshire takes its name from a large forest of birch trees that was called Bearroc (Celtic for ‘hilly’).
Berkshire’s key road, rail and airport routes
There are excellent road and rail connections throughout Berkshire, particularly in the east of the region closest to London. Heathrow airport is within easy reach, located just to the south of the M4 and east of the M25.
Travelling by car from Reading to London takes approximately 1 hr 10minutes; and to Birmingham, 1 hr 55 minutes. Further approximate car journey times are as follows:
| Central London | Birmingham | |
| Windsor | 50 mins | 1 hr 50 mins |
| Wokingham | 1 hr 5 mins | 2 hrs |
Berkshire Schools
Berkshire has many excellent Independent Schools within its boundaries, the most well known of which is Eton College.
Equerry has contacts with many of these schools – and can, unofficially, help you with the kind of local view that is not always portrayed in a prospectus!
- The Abbey School, 17 Kendrick Road, Reading, Berkshire RG1 5DZ
- Bradfield College, Reading, Berkshire RG7 6AU
- Cheam School, Headley, Newbury Berkshire RG19 8LD
- Dolphin School, Hurst, Reading Berkshire RG10 0BP
- Downe House, Cold Ash, Thatcham, Berkshire RG18 9JJ
- Eagle House, Sandhurst, Berkshire GU47 8PH
- Eton College, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 6DW
- Heathfield School, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 8BQ
- Lambrook Haileybury, Winkfield Row, Bracknell, Berkshire RG42 6LU
- Licensed Victuallers’ School, London Road, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 8DR
- Ludgrove, Wixenford, Wokingham, Berkshire RG40 3AB
- Pangbourne College, Pangbourne, Reading, Berkshire RG8 8LA
- Papplewick, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7LH
- St George’s School, Windsor Castle, Windsor Berkshire SL4 1QF
- St Mary’s School, South Ascot, Berkshire SL5 9JF
- Wellington College, Crowthorne, Berkshire RG45 7PU
Where to stay and what to do in Berkshire
Royal Berkshire offers a comprehensive range of pubs or three, four and five star hotels.
- Cliveden House, Cliveden, Taplow, Berkshire SL6 0JF. 01628 688561
- Sir Christopher Wren’s House Hotel & Spa, Thames Street, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 1PX. 01753 861354
- The French Horn Hotel & Restaurant, Sonning-on-Thames, Berkshire RG4 6TN. 0118 969 2204
- The Bell, Aldworth, Berkshire RG8 9SE. 01635 578272
- Pot Kiln, Frilsham, Berkshire RG18 0XX. 01635 201366
- Hinds Head, Bray, Berkshire SL6 2AB. 01628 626151
- Fat Duck, Bray, Berkshire SL6 2AQ. 01628 580333
- Dundas Arms, Kintbury, Berkshire RG17 9UT. 01488 658263
- The Red House, Marsh Benham, Berkshire RG20 8LY. 01635 582017
By way of entertainment, Berkshire has plenty of variety to choose from – and more than sufficient for those hoping to send weekend visitors off for the day! From Legoland to Windsor Castle to Royal Ascot Races, there is indeed something for everybody.