Ashampstead Road Gate
Ashampstead Road allotments are like an enormous garden extension surrounded and overlooked on three sides by houses and on the fourth by garages. This gives the site its unique character. You would hardly know that the allotments were there.
Strawberries
Rhubarb
Southcote was built in the early 1950’s to help cope with Reading’s post-war housing shortage (1). The allotments are visible in aerial photographs of Southcote (2) and first appear on maps in 1959.
A perfectly organised allotment
They are stones throw from the site of Southcote Manor. The decline of the Manor can be tracked on Ordnance Survey maps since 1877. Most of the house was demolished in 1921 (3) and on 1932 maps it is marked “remains of” but the moat can still be clearly seen as it can be today. Eventually redevelopment creeps around it and the site itself is redeveloped.
Southcote Manor today
Southcote Manor had a period of horticultural importance when it was in use as a trial ground for Suttons Seeds. From 1904 it was rented for experimental trials. In particular an extensive potato trial was carried out in 1906 and an open day held in October to which experts were invited to examine the results. The use of the site continued into the first world war (4).
FACT PANEL
| No. of plots: (5) | 9 |
| Full plot equivalent: (5) | 5.8 |
| Date allotments established: | before 1955 |
| Date taken on by Council: | before 1955 |
| Previous use: | unknown, open land |
| Status: (6) | Temporary |
References
(1) The Story of Reading, Daphne Philips. Countryside Books, 1983.
(2) Aerial view over the Southcote housing estate, Reading, looking westwards in 1955, photograph by Aero Pictorial, numbered A25127. Reading Library Local Studies Collection, Horizon no: 1241192
(3) The Story of Reading, Daphne Philips. Countryside Books, 1983. In an article in the Berkshire Archaeological Journal, Excavation at Southcote Manor Reading, 1964; C.F.Slade documents the work carried out and the findings before the site was redeveloped. He gives a date of 1926 for the demolition.
(4) Suttons Seeds, A History 1806-2006. Earley Local History Group.
(5) November 2008 Report to the Green City and Open Spaces Forum, 19 November 2008. Allotment Provision and Plan Update. Director of Environment Culture and Sport.
(6) Reading Borough Council 2005 Allotment Plan.
© Evelyn Williams 2012
PDF here:16 Ashampstead Road
Reading Allotments 