Wokingham is a historic market town in the south-east of England, about an hour by car from London. What used to be a relatively small and sleepy semi-rural town has in recent years turned into a bustling upmarket destination, frequently voted as one of the best places to live in the UK. Despite the many changes of late, Wokingham retains a fascinating history dating back nearly 1,000 years. I will convey some of this path through time with the following photos… enjoy!

The Town Hall & Market Place

The history of Wokingham isn’t all squeaky clean, as you can probably imagine from a town of its age. Wokingham was well known in the area for its chaotic and bloodthirsty bull-baiting events, with people congregating from across the local area to witness these dog vs bull fights. These were held in the Market Place area, right next to where the current Town Hall resides. Thankfully, this practise was outlawed in the 1830’s, with Wokingham beginning its ascent into modern civilized society.

Bush Walk

This is the site of the former Bush Inn, dating back to the early 1700’s. Rumour has it, however, that an inn actually stood here from as early as the mid 1500’s, and this was called “The Busshe”. In modern day Wokingham, Bush Walk is an alleyway lined with quaint little boutiques selling jewellery, home accessories and clothes.

Rose Street

One of the best known historical streets in Wokingham is Rose Street. Believed to have once been the main market street for Wokingham, Rose Street is thought to have existed since around the late 1200’s. This street contains some of the oldest buildings that can be found in Wokingham, and walking down it feels like taking a step back in time. Some of the oldest buildings down this street are thought to date back to the 1400’s – one of these houses a local charity shop to this day. Rose Street is thought to have been involved in Wokingham’s formerly prominent silk production industry, with a few of the buildings having contained the looms used to weave the silk. In modern day Wokingham, this street is home to a mix of residential buildings and businesses.

All Saint’s Church

Believed to be the oldest church in Wokingham, All Saint’s Church was founded in the late 1100’s, and at the time was actually classed as a church of the county of Wiltshire, before later being transferred to Berkshire, Wokingham’s true home county. It is in fact assumed that the current All Saint’s Church sits on the same grounds as an even earlier Saxon chapel – these grounds have seen a LOT over the years!

And finally… one of the town centre parks!

Elms Field has seen a lot of change over the last few years. Completely redeveloped and subsequently reopened in 2020, this is one of the most central and busiest parks in Wokingham’s town centre, and is lined with flats, an Aldi supermarket, a Starbucks, and a boutique cinema. Adjacent and across the road from Elms Field, the newly built Wokingham Leisure Centre can also be found, which consists of a library, a swimming pool, a gym and various other fitness and community orientated facilities.

These photos were taken in the winter – I can assure you that the park looks a lot nicer in the sun!

I hope my readers enjoyed this short jaunt around Wokingham! What do you think of this town? Would you pay a visit if you were staying nearby, and what would you most like to see?