page_title: Forbury Gardens
section_title: The gardens today
hierarchical_section_title: Forbury Gardens / The gardens today
caption_attribution_description: English: A map of Forbury Gardens, Reading, Berks, UK. It is based on a photo that was taken by me, JanesDaddy, on July 15th 2006, and is released under an open license. It's not the best, so if you can make it pretty - please do so.
context_page_description: Forbury Gardens is a public park in the town of Reading in the English county of Berkshire. The park is on the site of the outer court of Reading Abbey, which was in front of the Abbey Church. The site was formerly known as the Forbury, and one of the roads flanking the current gardens is still known as The Forbury. Fairs were held on the site three times a year until the 19th century.
  The gardens are listed as Grade II in the English Heritage Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
  Forbury, a suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin, was named after the gardens by early resident William Henry Valpy, who was born in Reading.
context_section_description: A grand re-opening event took place on 14 May 2005 to mark the completion of a one-year restoration project. The Heritage Lottery Fund awarded Reading Borough Council £2.13 million to restore the historic features of the Forbury Gardens and improve safety and access for visitors. The scheme was developed in consultation with residents and interested local groups.
  Work in the gardens themselves has included the restoration of the Maiwand Lion, the bandstand, water feature and the garden's walls, fencing and gateways. A new Keeper's Lodge also includes a refreshment kiosk, public toilets and facilities for a resident gardener. Reading Borough Council organises summer concerts in the bandstand on Sunday afternoons during July and August.
  After the restoration, closed-circuit cameras monitor the whole Gardens area, in a bid to deter drug use and anti-social behaviour. The garden has received a Green Flag Award for being welcoming, safe, well maintained and involving the community.
  The Forbury Hill is now accessible by two winding footpaths (wheelchair-accessible) that lead to an area that is elevated about 3 metres above the surrounding gardens. A single plane tree stands in the middle, and around the outer edge of the top of the hill are wooden seats.
caption: Map of Forbury Gardens today
exif: {}