The beautiful private estate of Englefield in the Royal county of Berkshire provides a perfect setting for Heritage Live's summer evening concerts. In recent years, the house and grounds have been used for numerous movies and television series, including Charles Xavier's house in X-Men First Class, parts of Buckingham Palace for The King's Speech, and parts of Sandringham for The Crown, but the story of Englefield is a long and fascinating tale over many hundreds of years of English history and heritage.
In 871AD a battle was fought on the hill above the village, marking an important victory by King Alfred over the Danes and the battlefield was named by the Saxons as ‘Anglefield’ or ‘Field of Angles’ which became Englefield over time. The Englefield family were sheriffs and knights of the shire throughout the Middle Ages and became prominent figures in the royal court in the 16th century. Their connection with the house continued until Sir Francis Englefield was implicated in the Throckmorton Plot of 1583 which aimed to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I and install the Catholic Queen Mary to the throne.
The house and lands were seized under an Act of Parliament and gifted to Sir Francis Walsingham (one of the Queen’s principal advisors) from whom the current family are directly descended. Towards the latter stages of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, it is reported that she was entertained at the house on two separate occasions and that during her visits bestowed a number of knighthoods. The Benyon connection started in the mid-18th century when the then lady of the house Mary Tyssen married Richard Benyon of Gidea Hall in Essex. Richard had been orphaned as a boy and entered service with the East India Company at the age of twelve.
He went on to become Governor of Fort St George (now Madras), making his fortune before returning to England. Some of the furniture that he brought home remains in the house to this day. The House is currently lived in by Richard and Zoe Benyon and their family, and the Estate is a thriving community consisting of farms, woodlands and residential and commercial properties. While the family are modern in their approach to the day to day management of the Estate they are respectful of the history that comes with it and mindful of its responsibility.
Englefield Estate
Berkshire RG7 5EN
GETTING HERE
& Other Information
VIP GUEST AREA
Take advantage of a VIP Ticket (must be purchased on top of your concert ticket) which entitles you to the facilities of the VIP GUEST AREA.
> VIP toilets, VIP Bar (cards only), a variety of unreserved relaxed seating zones (please note that seats are first-come-first-served), plus 'street artist' entertainment.
> VIP ticket holders will also have early access to the concert arena, when possible.
ACCESS / DISABLED TICKETS
For full information on our facilities and various ticket options for Accessible Customers (at all Heritage Live shows), please see here: ACCESSIBLE CUSTOMERS
Entering the Site for Disabled/ Access Customers
Please ensure that you enter the site via Green Gate. If you enter the site via any other gate, then the facilities for Access Customers will not be available to you and Heritage Live crew will not be able to assist you, until you enter via the correct gate:-
Alcohol, Soft Drinks, Food & Campchairs
Please note that alcohol, soft drinks and food cannot be brought into the concert and prohibited items will be confiscated upon entry. Single use plastics are also prohibited, but empty, re-usable containers can be brought in to arena, which can be filled at the many free drinking water points, around the site. There will be a wide variety of bars and artisan food traders on site.
You are allowed to bring in a camping chair and deck chairs will be available to hire on the evening at £10 each. However, please note that these can only be used in the REAR of the ARENA and you will be prevented from placing them in the front arena, where it is likely to be very busy. There will also be picnic benches and hay bales scattered around the rear edges of the concert arena). For those who have purchased VIP tickets, there will also be some relaxed (unreserved) scattered seating withing the VIP Compound.
TRAVELLING BY CAR / CAR PARKING
Access to the Englefield concert site via road on concert days will be very busy - we recommend setting off early and being prepared to wait for parking. Leaving the site will also take a considerable time due to the limited road infrastructure surrounding the estate. We request that customers please be patient and respectful to our staff and neighbours when leaving the venue. Please allow a maximum of 90mins to enter and to leave the car parks.
There is plenty of car parking space in the grounds of Englefield for the Heritage Live concerts but we do advise purchasing a parking ticket in advance - whilst purchasing your concert tickets you will be offered the option to also purchase a parking ticket (priced at £10 per car) to give you fast-track entry into the car-parks upon arrival. It will also be possible to purchase a car park ticket (cash or card) on the evening of your chosen concert.
Exit Junction 12 of the M4, signed for Reading. Take the A4 in the Newbury direction, go straight across at the first roundabout and at the second roundabout turn right onto the A340, signed to Pangbourne. For concerts, the site is accessed via the ornamental gates about half a mile on the left hand side. Please follow the signage to concert parking. There is plenty of car parking space available at Englefield, (charged at £10 per car), and tickets can be purchased in advance (as an add-on when buying your concert ticket) for fast-track entry, or by cash/card on the night. Please note that the local road infrastructure is limited, so please allow up to 90mins to enter and leave the car parks. Access through Englefield Village is not permitted.
The Public Car Parks will be clearly signposted and are accessed via Englefield Lodges on the A340, between the junction with the A4 and Pangbourne. SAT NAV: RG7 5EN
TRAVELLING BY TRAIN
The nearest railway station is THEALE, which is just 2 miles away and 5 minutes in a taxi.
READING STATION is a 20 minute rail journey from London Paddington and then just a 7 mile drive to Englefield, which takes 15 minutes in a taxi.
LONDON UNDERGROUND. Reading Station is also served by London Underground's ELIZABETH LINE.
To Book Train tickets:
Personal: Trainline
Business: Trainline Business
TAXIS
Local Taxi Companies
500 Cars Reading 0118 959 9999
A4 Executive Cars 0118 921 2121
Arlington Cars 0118 954 5888
Berkshire Cars 0118 950 0400
Bliss Cars 247 0118 986 0001
Cars 4 Executives 0118 466 0000
Coronation Square Cars 0118 950 0005
National Cars 0118 987 3500
Pangbourne Taxis 01491 671979
Pang Valley Cars 0118 984 1000
Platinum Executive Cars 0118 942 2222
Rg7 Cars 0118 443 9551
Reading Station Taxis 0118 956 1010
Silverline 0118 466 1500
Star Car 0118 950 5050
Theale Taxis 0118 930 2345
Woodley Cars 0118 942 4242
Xpress Cars Reading 0118 950 2222
AAA Cars, Reading Tel 0118 950 4030
Atlantic Cars, Reading Tel 0118 910 1010
Bliss Cars, Reading Tel 0118 986 0001
Kennet Cars, Reading Tel 01189 86 66 66
Ace Cars, Reading Tel 01189 67 67 67
Eco Cars, Reading Tel 01189 660 331
Yellow Cars, Reading Tel 0118 9666 555
Cabco, Newbury Tel 01635 33333
Go Green Taxis, Newbury Tel 01635 800 990
Broadway Cars, Newbury Tel 01635 847784
Ave Cabs, Newbury Tel 01635 31212
Jars Cars, Basingstoke Tel 01256 819844
A& Cars, Basingstoke Tel 01256 976888
Delta Cars, Basingstoke Tel 01256 242428
Compass Executive Cars, Fleet Tel 0118 970 2233
Tadley Cars, Tadley Tel 0118 327 4260
BICYCLE
Please find Englefield on The National Cycle Network
CAN I STAY ON THE ESTATE?
There are no facilities for camping, caravans or campervans on the Englefield Estate and please note that vehicles are not permitted to remain in the concert car park overnight.
For more information on camping and caravan sites in Berkshire, please visit the official tourist website for South East England: https://www.visitsoutheastengland.com/accommodation.
E-TICKETS
Please download your E-tickets to your mobile phone (or print them off) before leaving for the concert, as Wi-Fi and 4G signals are very limited onsite.
CHILDREN
Children aged 14 and under may purchase a Child Ticket (proof may be required upon entry). All children must be accompanied by an adult. Under 5’s free (no ticket required).
HOTEL ACCOMMODATION
Best Western, Reading Calcot https://www.bestwestern.com/en_US/book/hotels-in-reading/best-western-reading-calcot-hotel/propertyCode.83831.html
The Cedars Hotel, Reading https://www.hospitalityuor.co.uk/accommodation/cedars-hotel/
The Hare & Hounds, Newbury https://www.hareandhoundsnewbury.co.uk/
The Chequers Hotel, Newbury https://chequershotelnewbury.co.uk/
Travelodge, Newbury https://www.travelodge.co.uk/hotels/508/London-Newbury-Road-hotel
Berkshire Arms Hotel, Midgham https://www.chefandbrewer.com/pubs/berkshire/berkshire-arms/hotel/
Mercure Newbury West Grange Hotel, Newbury https://www.westgrangehotel.com/
Premier Inn, Grazeley Green www.premierinn.com
Premier Inn, Newbury www.premierinn.com
The Lodge, Newbury Racecourse https://www.thelodgenewbury.co.uk/
The Elephant At The Market, Newbury https://theelephantatthemarket.com/
Hilton Double Tree, Newbury https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/nbynbdi-doubletree-newbury-north/
Donnington Valley Hotel & Spa, Newbury https://www.donningtonvalley.co.uk/
Donnington Grove Hotel, Newbury https://www.donnington-grove.com/
Travelodge, Chieveley https://www.travelodge.co.uk/hotels/56/Newbury-Chieveley-M4-hotel
Bunk Inn, Curridge https://www.thebunkinn.co.uk/
De Vere Wokefield Estate, Reading https://www.devere.co.uk/wokefield-estate/
Sandford Springs Hotel & Golf Club, Kingsclere https://www.sandfordsprings.co.uk/
The Hind’s Head, Aldermaston https://www.hindsheadaldermaston.co.uk/
The George & Dragon Hotel, Tadley https://georgedragonhotel.com/
Bel & The Dragon, Kingsclere https://www.belandthedragon-kingsclere.co.uk/
The Wellington Arms, Stratfield Turgis https://www.wellingtonarmshampshire.co.uk/
Hampshire Court Hotel, Basingstoke https://www.thehampshirecourthotel.co.uk/
WHAT ELSE SHOULD I KNOW
Food, Alcohol and other drinks must be purchased on site and will be confiscated upon entry if found in your bag.
Single-use plastics are prohibited. Please bring a reusable bottle/ cup which can be refilled at our free water points.
All tickets purchased as 'General Admission Standing', are standing / sitting on grass.
You are allowed to bring small umbrellas into the concert, but please be mindful of those around you when using them.
You are allowed to bring in a camping chair and deck chairs will be available to hire on the evening at £10 each. However, please note that these can only be used in the REAR of the ARENA and you will be prevented from placing them in the front arena, where it is likely to be very busy.
Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
If relevant, Covid-19 guidance and regulations with regards to social distancing will apply.
Please be aware that the road infrastructure surrounding Englefield is very limited, so please allow plenty of time for your journey to and from the venue. Please be patient and respectful to our staff and neighbours. Please allow up to 90mins to enter and leave the car parks.
Please note that vehicles are not permitted to remain in the concert car park overnight.
Please do not set-off to the concert without having first arranged how you are going to get home.
Please download your E-tickets to your mobile phone (or print them off) before leaving for the concert, as Wi-Fi and 4G signals are very limited onsite.
Please note that dogs are not allowed onsite (except Guide Dogs).
We recommend bringing a torch with you in case you need it on your way home.
Please note that the promoter has the right to change the supporting line-up.