Berkshire

Berkshire (pronounced 'Barkshire' and also known as Royal Berkshire due to its long association with the British monarchy) is a county in the south of England, to the west of London. It is no longer used as an administrative region, as Berkshire County Council has been abolished and its districts became unitary authorities.

The county takes its name from a large forest of birch trees that was called Bearroc (Celtic for 'hilly') and was originally a transaction of land to King Cenwalh of Wessex. At this time, it only consisted of the northerly and westerly parts of the current county.

In the past the county town (capital) has been in Abingdon (which became administered by Oxfordshire when boundaries were changed in 1972) and Reading.

Other notable towns are:

• Bracknell
• Hungerford
• Maidenhead
• Newbury
• Slough
• Windsor, home of Windsor Castle, and which gives its name to the House of Windsor
• Wokingham

The following towns were part of the historical county, but became administered by Oxfordshire at the same time as did Abingdon:

• Didcot
• Wallingford
• Wantage