Reading is situated on the river Kennet close to its junction with the Thames. There are large municipal buildings with a free library and an excellent museum, a county hospital, a university college, a grammar school, and many other schools and charitable institutions. The Berkshire County Hall and the Assize Courts are at Reading and are close to the old gateway of Reading Abbey. The few remains of the abbey are now the property of the Corporation and are laid out as gardens adjoining the public Forbury garden. The railway works are extensive and there are iron foundries, engine and agricultural implement works, cycle works, electric-light works, printing works, a very large establishment for making biscuits, and also one for the production and sale of seeds. There are also flour mills, breweries, brick and tile works, steam launch and boat-building yards, and establishments for making ropes and sacks. St Mary's church is said to have been built of materials from the ruins of the abbey. The walls are largely of a chequer pattern of dressed flints and squares of freestone. (pp. 6, 19, 22, 36, 54, 58, 62, 64-84, 89, 90, 99, 103, 104, 108, 125-133, 140, 144.) Sandhurst (2386). A village on the river Blackwater four and a half miles south-east of Wokingham with a railway station on the South Eastern and Chatham railway. The Royal Military College is two miles south-east of the village near Blackwater station. (pp. 130, 132.) Shefford, Great or West Shefford (422). A village between Lambourn and Newbury. The church has been already mentioned. (p. 117.) Shinfield (1015). A large village three miles south of Reading. Shottesbrook. A park four miles south-west of Maidenhead. The beautiful church has been already mentioned. (pp. 63, 108.) Shrivenham (951). A village with a railway station on the Great Western 71-1/2 miles from Paddington, near the border of Wiltshire. It gives its name to the Hundred. (pp. 72, 138, 143.) Sonning (526). A very attractive village on the Thames two and a half miles below Reading, the parish is partly in Oxfordshire. In the tenth and eleventh centuries there was a Bishop of Berks and Wilts and the palace was at this place. The church is large with Early English arches and many monuments. Sparsholt (646). A village three and a quarter miles west of Wantage. There is a fine church in the Decorated style. (p. 99.) Stanford in the Vale (853). A village nearly four miles south-east of Faringdon. The church, in mixed styles, is interesting. The tower is Early English, there is a squint from the north aisle to the altar, and a very curious piscina with a reliquary above it. Steventon (797). A village with railway station on the Great Western three and a half miles south-south-west of Abingdon. There is a raised flood-path by the road through the village, a number of old houses, and a church in mixed styles with a south aisle and tower arches of the Decorated period. (pp. 101 108, 117.)