Wokingham

Wokingham, or OAKINGHAM, a market-town of Berkshire (till 1832 Wiltshire, detached), in Windsor Forest, 7 miles SE. of Reading by rail. Incorporated as a municipal borough in 1885, it has a Gothic town-hall (1860), neighbouring paper, saw, and flour mills, and the 'Rose' inn, where, once detained by wet weather, Gay, Swift, Pope, and Arbuthnot celebrated the host's pretty daughter in the ballad of 'Molly Mog.' It was famous for its bull-baitings till 1821. Bearwood, 1 mile W., is the seat of J. Walter, Esq., of the Times. Pop. (1851) 2272; (1891) 2060.