Attractions and Places To See around Shaw Cum Donnington - Top 20

This is a fantastic country pub located on the banks of the River Kennet near Woolhampton. The pub has existed since 1850, and serves up a range of delicious dishes as well as cask ales. A great place to stop on a long walk.

Greenham Common Control Tower is a museum and visitor centre. The control tower has major historical significance, playing an important role in both the Cold War and WW2 era. Visitors can explore the rich history of this building whilst taking in panoramic views at the observation desk. There is a café on site too where you can grab a hot drink or bite to eat.

Great food and nice atmosphere

The Greenham Common Control Tower also has bike parking facilities and outdoor and indoor seating. The cafe is volunteer run and offers a good range of hot and cold snacks Tours of the tower and surrounding area are available and rum by excellent and knowledgeable guides.

St Mary’s is of considerable historic interest as the only executed work in England by George Jonas Wigley, a significant figure in nineteenth century Catholic life and ecclesiology. While the building is architecturally unremarkable, the west front is an impressive, if quirky design. The interior is altered, but contains furnishings by Pugin and glass by Hardman and Wailes. [...] The present church was built [in 1932] also through the efforts of Canon Dambrine, parish priest from 1829 until his death in 1855. He lies buried in the chapel to the north of the chancel, where there is a memorial tablet to him. The site was given in 1846 by Arthur, Earl of Fingal, and the architect for the new church was George Jonas Wigley, a pupil of J. J. Scoles. It was opened by Bishop (later Cardinal) Wiseman on 11 May 1848. The design of the church is said to have been modelled on the Archbishop’s palace and chapel at Croydon, which Wigley considered to be the last church to be built in Catholic England. Wigley is perhaps now little-known, but he is a figure of considerable interest, and some significance in the Catholic scene of the mid-nineteenth century. Cit. https://taking-stock.org.uk/building/woolhampton-st-mary/

Douai Abbey is a Benedictine Abbey at Upper Woolhampton, near Thatcham, in the English county of Berkshire, situated within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth. Monks from the monastery of St. Edmund's, in Douai, France, came to Woolhampton in 1903 when the community left France as a result of anti-clerical legislation. The abbey church is listed Grade II* on the National Heritage List for England. [...] The abbey church was opened in 1933 but only completed in 1993 due to financial constraints. The monastery was greatly expanded in the 1960s with the building of the new monastery designed by Sir Frederick Gibberd. The abbey had in its charge Douai School until the latter's closure in 1999. In 2005, two monks returned to Douai, France to form a community there and restore the historic links to English monasticism. Cit. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douai_Abbey

The present church at Yattendon was built in about 1450 by Sir John Norreys of Ockwells Manor & Yattendon Castle. He was the Master of the Wardrobe to King Henry VI and could well afford it. He is remembered by small sculptures at the doorway and the Norreys arms in one of the windows (although this was the geometric arms adopted by his 17th century descendants, not the ravens that he used). [...] The local architect, Alfred Waterhouse, added the porch and vestry in 1881 and the spire fifteen years later. He also heavily restored the rood screen. It just about retains some of the original 15th century woodwork. The staircase to the missing rood loft is a particularly fine example. Yattendon Church is famous for the use of the Yattendon Hymnal which was edited by Waterhouse's son-in-law, Robert Bridges, the poet laureate, in 1899. It is a collection of ancient hymns designed for the use of a village choir and is considered a pioneering landmark in the history of texted English hymns. The building has an interesting array of wall monuments, most of which are not listed in the Buildings of England. Cit. http://www.berkshirehistory.com/churches/yattendon.html

Nice and friendly country pub on the Kennet and Avon canal (as well as National Cycle Network Route 4), this is one of my favourite places in Berkshire. This pub can be easily reached by bike from Reading avoiding traffic via the canal towpath (which is where NCN Route 4 runs, just beware of some stretches were the path is uneven and needs to be treaded with some caution) and is set in a beautiful spot with a huge beer garden that is great for those Summer barbecues. In fact, on those warm Summer days I would recommend an easy ride along the canal to treat yourself to a nice Sunday roast and a couple of pints, followed by another easy ride back to town. The food is nice and warming and reasonably priced, dogs are welcome indoors in the bar area and in the garden and the staff are friendly. Bike racks to lock your bikes are also present, but they are on the road at the front rather than hidden away at the back, so not the safest of places if you are visiting in the evening and sitting indoors.