Forbury Garden 

This place has always been a part of my life. My grandad worked as a brick layer for Reading Borough Council and he spent many, may years working next door, making the old Abbey ruins safe. My parents would take us here to look at the lion and and run around when we were getting bored of shopping.

I took my children here last week. There were already lots of children here, dancing on the bandstand (I love bandstands, there's something of the best of the Victorians about them: a public spirit, a joyful Saturday afternoon, happiness, but of course that's all fantasy; having never seen anyone perform on one!), people chilling out on their lunch breaks and lots and lots of work going on beautifying the place.

Forbury garden is on the opposite side of the road to the retail park which is parallel with the Great Western train track. Go out of the train station (the old main entrance) and turn left. You will see, across the road, a pub called the Rising Sun. The Forbury is behind the brick wall across the road from the pub.

Here's a map.

There were no teenagers climbing on the lion - which is large war memorial. Here's a picture. It loomed large in my imagination and wasn't a disappointment!

Bandstand in the background - wouldn't it be great to have a revival? No? That might just be me then:) 

This is the memorial to Burmese soldiers who fought alongside the British and lovingly cared for:

Old/new juxtaposition:) Life goes on! 

Below: Fountain, with St James' church in the background. A church designed by Pugin, who also designed the interior of the Houses of Parliament. I LOVE Pugin. He was a total workaholic, obsessed, driven and probably what we'd call a massive geek:)