UoR Centenary Heritage Kendrick Conservation Area Walkabout: Lost Turkish Baths, Schools, London Road Campus

Terry Dixon is leading a walk through the Kendrick Conservation Area on Thursday 19 November, starting at 10:00 am. It's part of the UoR Centenary Heritage series, and the route takes in more than 150 years of Reading's local history. When the conservation area first took shape, it looked very different from what we see now, and the walk traces what's gone as much as what's still there.

Among the things you'll hear about is the enormous long-lost swimming baths complex, a time when there was only one pub, Kendrick Court, and two secondary schools, Albion Terrace and the original University of Reading campus. Along the way, you'll also come across listed buildings, historic trees, and plaques that mark the area's past. It's a good way to get a sense of how this part of town has shifted over the decades.

Terry Dixon runs Terry's Reading Walkabouts, and he developed this one alongside Richard Bennett, Chair of the Reading Conservation Society. It's their sixth collaboration, so there's a fair bit of shared knowledge behind the route. Terry splits the proceeds from his walks equally between his chosen causes for the year, so the money goes to charity.

The walk runs from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm, and the meeting point is the south-east corner of South and East Street, Reading RG1 4GP. It's a cash donation of £5-£10 per adult and £1 per child over 5. The walk is fully booked, so you can only join through the organiser's Eventbrite or Heritage Open Days link.