A bit of culture.

By the time we had surfaced it had started raining. That suited me as we were able to sit and listen to the Archers after breakfast. By the time that was finished the rain had stopped so we set off to Aldi's to stock up for the next few days. We also managed to pop into the Range to get some wool for Helen's coming projects.

Last night I went to see what was there to celebrate the Oscar Wilde Walk and found that the fencing carried saying and writing from him and the gate had a silhouette of him. It was all set up in 2000 as an anniversary of 100 years following his death.

After our shopping we had a bite of lunch and then headed back into town. to do a bit more shopping and then have a look at the museum.

The best view of the Abbey ruins I could get through the gate.

The sculpture is unnamed by Jens Flemming Sorenson in 2000. The balls have faces and building showing through the cracks but I can't decipher any real meaning in the set up. I am obviously not an art lover. The wall behind is also part of the Abbey Ruins and beyond that is the brick central ventilation tower of Reading jail.

We then had a small shopping interlude before getting to the Reading Museum and Art Gallery which was next to the Town Hall. We learned that the main companies were the three B's, Huntley and Palmer's biscuits, Symnods Brewwery Beer and bulbs and seeds from Sutton Seeds. All three produced in the city but no longer although connections still exist with the place. There was also a good gallery about Silchester Roman town. The Gallery about Huntley and Palmer's had many of the biscuit tins that were familiar in our youth and were also made by part of the company.

 Out of the window room I saw this picture. IUt sort of summed up Reading for me. The old building is being squeezed by new ones. I suppose that this also sums up Britain as a whole. Our history is been pressed to one side to make way for new. I'm all for change but we must retain enough of the old to keep is grounded in the past.

I was attracted to this statue of Queen Victoria as she is pictured as younger than most of them you see around the country. It was erected for her 50th year of reign.

Added to the three B's could be bricks as there is much distinctive brick work in the city. Most of it is using bricks made by local firm S & E Collier Ltd who were in business from 1870 to 1966. Their range of bricks can be seen here in the Town Hall and the Museum to the left.

Collier's were also well known for their terracotta tile work. This on is a roundel on the Town Hall above.

We were thrown out of the museum at 1600 and stumbled across the road to another Weatherspoon's, The Monk's Retreat' and had a couple of drinks before heading back to get tea of sausages, sweet potato mash and caramelised onion gravy with carrots and cauliflower.