Biscuit Island in ReadingClick on a photo for a large version. |
I must emphasise that this is my name for this island! It is an island in the river Kennet, south of Reading Abbey ruins. It used to contain the factory of Huntley and Palmer, which was, at one time, the largest factory in the world! Now, it has been redeveloped with rather boring modern buildings (although one Huntley and Palmer building has survived, with a new use). It also has some very busy roads running through it. However, there are some interesting things to see near by. There are also attractive walks along the river, avoiding traffic.
Here are various buildings on Biscuit Island. You can see the Huntley and Palmer building mentioned above, on Biscuit Island. The second photo shows some other buildings on the south side of the island. The third shows buildings on the north side. The fourth shows the Abbey ruins
Chocolate Island is a small island to the north of Biscuit Island. It is so-called because it was used to store chocolate crumb for the Huntley and Palmer biscuit factory. There is a small bridge between the two islands, but you are not allowed on it!
This is by Kevin Atherton, dated 1992. The statue was put up when the factory closed to mark the people of Reading who worked there. It is on Chocolate Island. The name is from The Compleat Angler, a book by Izaak Walton, first published in 1653. It is a celebration of the art and spirit of fishing in prose and verse.
Most of the bridges onto Biscuit Island are for road traffic, but Gasworks Road bridge is more attractive. You can see the gas pipes underneath.
This map shows gasworks on "The Island" in 1870. There is a lot more information about gas in Reading here.
This is by Lorne Mckean, dated 1984. It is on Kings Road. The statue is near the Back of Beyond pub.
The Biscuit tunnel is not part or next to Biscuit Island, but it's quite close, and is certainly connected. The name is the Reading name, by the way, not my invention! It used to have a steam railway to supply the Huntley and Palmer factory (which was north of the island, as well as on the island itself) as shown in the following map. The map also shows the Biscuit Tunnel, with railway lines leading to it.
We got to it via Kenavon Drive, and across a shopping carpark. We also got lost! You need to get to a footpath along the railway line, to the south. This bridge goes under the railway line, and must be very useful to pedespestrians and cyclists. The railway line tends to cut off Reading from the Thames, and anything to the north of the railway.
The Biscuit gallery in Reading museum:
This walk is along the north bank of the kennet, between the abbey ruins and Biscuit Island. I think it used to be called Chestnut Walk, but the chestnuts died. I think they're growing some new ones. Oscar Wilde was in Reading Gaol, for the "crime" of homosexuality, and wrote "The Ballad of Reading Gaol" about it. The gaol runs alongside it. There is a fence with quotes from Oscar Wilde, ending in a gate. Unfortunately we approached it along the river, which meant the quotes were back to front!
This view of the ruins and the walk is from Biscuit Island.
The Reading route to Santiago goes along here. Click here for more about it.
© Jo Edkins 2024