Mary Westley writes:
We took a trip into the past for our Summer Ramble, strolling leisurely around Caversham Court Garden and the refurbished Abbey ruins guided by the knowledgeable Doug. He began by showing us a “grotesque”, tucked away at the far end of Caversham Court and I for one would never have given it a second glance if it had not been pointed out.
After admiring at the beautiful flowers around the Forbury Gardens and scurrying through the preparations for a performance in the Bandstand we found the weathered remains of another one at the Abbey entrance. We marvelled at the sheer size and grandeur of the abbey’s structure and pondered on what Reading might be like today had it not been for the dissolution. We considered the future of Reading Gaol before exploring the old Reading Mill and the Holy Brook tucked away behind the Library – hidden corners that the casual shopper would never know was there.
The afternoon’s outing finished with tea in Carluccios’s, including sfogliatella – shell-shaped Italian pastries to tie in with the theme of pilgrimage explored in that morning’s sermon!
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St Peter’s Occasional Rambles And Dawdles In the Countryside