Background Information

Berkshire

Situated in the heart of southern England, the County of Berkshire, also known as "Royal Berkshire" is home to several well-known townsand cities, such as Windsor, where the famous royal retreat Windsor Castle canbe found. Another royal connection is the Town of Ascot, famous for its verypopular annual horse racing festival— "Royal Ascot". Berkshire alsoboasts many picturesquevillages with views across the River Thames absolutely stunning.

  Berkshire, a county of southernEngland, that occupies the valleys of the middle Thames and its tributary, theKennet,immediately to the west of London. Its area is 485 sq mi(1,256 sq km),and it is divided into six districts: Bracknell,Newbury, Reading, Slough, Windsor and Wokingham.

Rural Life in Britain

Cottages: Picturesque cottages are most people’s idea of the typical country building. Cottages dating from the late 16th century are generally the earliest to survive.

All manner of materials were used to build England's country cottages: stone,slate, wood, flint, clay, cob, thatch, boulders and pebbles, and turf. Whatevermaterial was used, traditionally this would have reflected what was locallyavailable.

Whilst colorful flowers, always important to the cottage dweller, were haphazard intheir planting, vegetables were grown in ordered rows. Edibles were grown, notonly for the cottagers' own table but also to be sold as a means ofsupplementing their income. The garden was not solely inhabited by plants, forthe keeping of bees, and sometimes pigs, which was once a common sight in thecottage garden. The cottage garden provided the opportunity for the annualvillage show to develop, with every keen gardener hoping his produce wouldscoop the top prize.