Forbury Gardens Park

Reading, England, United Kingdom

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Forbury Gardens Park is a public Victorian park in the centre of Reading, Berkshire, set on the former outer courtyard of the medieval Reading Abbey next to the abbey ruins.

It was redesigned in the 19th century as part of the urban parks movement and is now a formal, walled flower garden providing a tranquil green space close to the town’s railway station and main shopping area. The park is well known for the large Maiwand Lion statue at its centre, which commemorates soldiers who died in the Battle of Maiwand during the Second Anglo‑Afghan War, and also features a war cenotaph, a bandstand, and a small pond.

The gardens are cared for by Reading Borough Council, winning several green‑space awards, and are used daily for relaxation, picnics, band concerts in summer, and local events, while offering easy access to the historic abbey remains and nearby Reading Museum.