June 6, 2022 – Off To Wokingham and the wedding

We have taken the train west from London for an hour or so to the ancient city of Wokingham.

The town was founded in 1180. Originally the town consisted only of Rose Street, Shute End, Peach Street and Denmark Street

Wokingham means ‘Wocca’s people’s home. Wocca was a Saxon Cheiftain in the dim past and this town was named after him. He owned swaths of land around this area.

The name of the town was lost in Victorian times and became Oakingham. The acorn with oak leaves was made the town’s heraldic charge, granted in the 19th century.

The town is also famous for brick production by Thomas Lawrence.

This small hamlet was a center for silk stocking manufacturing and bell foundries.

The stage line came through here from London and on to Redding centuries ago and then eventually a rail line was established. There are canals here as well.

We are staying in the former horse stalls of the mansion of a Marques.

We took the short walk back into town for a late lunch at a Zizzi’s Pizza. There are several of them around. One is near our hotel in London. The food is very good as was the service.

We had a great pizza margarita and a flat bread covered in balsamic, cheese and plenty of onions. My wife has an onion problem, as I do.

Our waiter was a fine gentleman from Manchester.

Tomorrow is the wedding of my wife’s cousin to his lovely future bride on the grounds of this beautiful mansion.

We hope the weather will be as nice as it was today.