Newbury Tourist Information

The busy market town of Newbury lies on the River Kennet, and to the north, west and south, is surrounded by the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. In the south, downland rises from the river valley providing wonderful views.

Newbury was founded in the 11th century and acquired the name 'new' because it was one of many new towns established after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

The valley of the River Kennet has provided an important east-west transport route for the Kennet and Avon Canal, the Great Western Railway and the A4 London to Bristol Road (now replaced as a long-distance route by the M4).

The Kennet and Avon Canal now offers attractive walks to visitors and locals along the towpath either towards Hungerford or Reading.

Boat trips are also available and information on these can be obtained from the visitor centre at Aldermaston Wharf.

Beside the West Berkshire Museum is the Newbury Tourist Information Centre, housed in the Old Granaries, a 17th century building, with its galleried upper storey, dates from the time of Charles II.

Newbury is a thriving cultural centre with the Corn Exchange venue, The Watermill Theatre at Bagnor, beside the River Lambourn, and the New Greenham Arts Centre, a small vibrant arts centre on the old air base at Greenham Common.

Newbury is famous for horse racing, especially the Newbury Racecourse.

This area is infamous as the site of the Greenham Common Air Force Base.  Established in World War II, the base was later home to US Air Force bombers and tankers and was one of only two bases in the UK equipped with Ground Launched Cruise Missiles.  From 1981 - 2000 a large number of women occupied a peace camp at Greenham Common to protest against the presence of nuclear weapons on UK soil.  With the ending of the Cold War the base was closed and much of the site was restored to heathland.  In 2002 a peace garden was created just outside the Main Street entrance to New Greenham Common to commemorate the Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp.

To the west of the town on Combe down are the remains of the Iron Age Walbury Hill Fort.  At 974ft (279m), this is the highest point in South East England and from here there are panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.  Nearby stands Combe Gibbet, the wooden gibbet, replaced several times over the centuries, marks the site of a double hanging in 1676.