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The Mill at Sonning

The Mill at Sonning is a theatre and restaurant, converted from an 18th-century flour mill, on an island in the River Thames at Sonning Eye in the English county of Oxfordshire. The river divides into three, with the mill race forming the middle branch, spanned by one of the Sonning Backwater Bridges just downstream of the mill. The original mill was established much earlier and was mentioned in the Domesday Book. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the mill was owned by the well-known local families of May and Witherington, and it produced flour for Huntley and Palmer biscuits in the nearby town of Reading. More recently, the Mill complex has been converted into a 215-seat air-conditioned theatre, with a restaurant for pre-theatre meals and also a bar, where the original watermill is now exposed to view. Close by is the French Horn hotel, also on the river. The theatre has a small hydroelectric generator of 18.5 kW capacity, commissioned in June 2005. This was the first such installation on the Thames, predating the one at Windsor Castle. In 1984, the Mill at Sonning was given a conservation award by The Times newspaper and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors for the design, restoration and conversion of the derelict mill into a dinner theatre. The theatres first artistic director was Peter Egan. Productions have included performances by Anthony Valentine, Judi Dench, June Whitfield, Adam Faith, Michael Denison, Dulcie Gray, John Junkin and Brian Cant. The Mill adjoins the Mill House, a 17th-century house acquired by the American film actor George Clooney and his wife Amal Clooney in 2014.

Temple Island

Temple Island is an island in the River Thames in England just north of Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. The island is on the reach above Hambleden Lock between the Buckinghamshire and Berkshire banks, and is part of Remenham in Berkshire. The main significance of the island is that it lies at the start of the course for Henley Royal Regatta. The island includes an elegant ornamental temple designed by the 18th century English architect James Wyatt and constructed in 1771. It was designed as a fishing lodge for Fawley Court, a nearby historic house that Wyatt also remodelled in the 1770s on the commission of its owner, Sambrooke Freeman. Wyatt designed both the structure of the building and its interior decoration; it is likely that he also provided designs for the original furniture. The wall paintings in the principal room are thought to be the earliest surviving example of the Etruscan style in Great Britain, predating more famous examples such as the Etruscan Dressing Room at Osterley Park by Robert Adam. In the 19th century, the islands ownership passed, with Fawley Court, from the Freeman family to the Mackenzie family. In 1952, upon the death of Roderick Mackenzie, Henley Royal Regatta asked his daughter Margaret for first refusal should she ever decide to sell the island. It is not clear whether an understanding was reached. By the early 1980s, the advent of corporate entertaining greatly increased the potential value of the island. In 1983 the Stewards of the Regatta again began making overtures to Margaret Mackenzie but in 1986 the island was placed on the open market. Supported by a gift of £515,000 from Alan Burrough and his wife Rosie, in December 1987 the Regatta was able to purchase a 999 year lease of the island and the temple. Following the purchase, the Stewards of the Regatta undertook restoration works to the island and the temple: The downstream portion of the island was retained as a nature reserve and was extensively replanted with trees. The Victorian balcony which had decayed was replaced. The wall paintings, which had deteriorated and had been badly over-painted, were repaired and brought back to the colours originally intended by Wyatt. A statue of a nymph, in keeping with the style and age of the Temple, was placed under the cupola.

California Country Park

California Country Park is a 100-acre country park covering Long Moor in the north of the civil parish of Finchampstead in the English county of Berkshire. It is situated approximately 3 kilometres south of Wokingham and is bounded by Arborfield Garrison to the west, California to the east, the Nine Mile Ride to the south and what was once Barkham Common to the north. It consists of lowland heath and bogland, including Longmoor Bog, a Site of Special Scientific Interest and Local Nature Reserve. The Park is managed by Wokingham Borough Council and is open every day throughout the year. As well as offering walks and wildlife watching, especially around Longmoor Lake, there is a cafe, summer paddling pool, toddler swings and an adventure play area. In 1931, it was established as an amusement park and Zoo by Alfred Cartilage and was called California in England.The miniature railway was initially laid out to 10.25" but was soon changed to 18" and this lasted until the outbreak of the second world war when the park closed and all the buildings were used for the manufacture of munitions.Alfred reopened the park after the war and set about developing the rides many of which were designed and built onsite, including the famous Snake Train.The railway was reestablished as 18" gauge using a petrol powered locomotive His son,Norman took over in the early 1950s and continued the development of the site including realigning the miniature railway,adding new rides and running a circus for several years.The art deco main building included a famous sprung glass floored ballroom over the restaurant and featured a full calendar of dances often with star turns .This structure was later destroyed by fire.Throughout this period The Poppies speedway team competed on the dirt track laid out in a remote corner of the estate. In the early 1960s the amusement business was failing and the site obtained new owners who turned it into a holiday camp .Caravanning and camping facilities are still available on site at the California Chalet and Touring Park but the main part of the original amusement area is within the country park and largely overgrown.

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