Just a selection of photos of the building which houses the Museum of English Rural Life and the University of Reading’s Special Collections.

The home was built in the late nineteenth century for Alfred Palmer, of the biscuit company Huntley & Palmers which, though now defunct, was once one of the largest businesses in the world. Alfred was also important to the history of the University, donating a large parcel of land which became the London Road campus as well as his own home after his death. It then became a Womens Halls of Residence from 1911 until its closure in the early noughties, to be reopened as our joint home in 2005.

Oh, and it was also designed and built by Alfred Waterhouse, most famous for things like Manchester City Hall and the Natural History Museum in London.

You can find out more about the building on our blog!