Historically, Berkshire has been bordered to the north by the ancient boundary of the River Thames. However, much of the border with Oxfordshire for the western part of the county was moved in 1974.
Alfred the Great was born in Wantage, previously in Berkshire but now in Oxfordshire. The Great Western Railway reached Didcot in 1839. MG (part of Morris Motors) was founded in Abingdon in 1929.
The Vale of White Horse and parts of Oxfordshire south of the River Thames were previously part of Berkshire, but were lost to the county in 1974. Conversely, the Slough area north of the Thames was historically part of Buckinghamshire, but was transferred to Berkshire in 1974.
Important historical abbeys include Abingdon Abbey, Dorchester Abbey and Reading Abbey.
Oscar Wilde was imprisoned in Reading Gaol after his court case.
The county is known as the Royal County of Berkshire since the Royal residence of Windsor Castle is in the county. Politically, the county is now made up of unitary authories.
Famous quotes containing the words history of and/or history:
“Three million of such stones would be needed before the work was done. Three million stones of an average weight of 5,000 pounds, every stone cut precisely to fit into its destined place in the great pyramid. From the quarries they pulled the stones across the desert to the banks of the Nile. Never in the history of the world had so great a task been performed. Their faith gave them strength, and their joy gave them song.”
—William Faulkner (1897–1962)
“Universal history is the history of a few metaphors.”
—Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986)