Open Days at Dinton Pastures
The Society headquarters is The Pelham-Clinton Building, Dinton Pastures Country Park, Davis Street, Hurst, Reading RG10 0GH, named to commemorate the late Duke of Newcastle whose generous legacy made possible the construction of a base to house the Society library and collections. In order to make the library and collections available to members, there are Open Days (10.30–16.00).
The Building Manager is willing to open the Pelham-Clinton Building by prior arrangement on other occasions for members unable to attend the scheduled Open Days, when members will be welcome to use the library and collections. For those living a long distance from Dinton Pastures it may be worth considering getting together to share transport, either for an Open Day or for requesting access on another occasion. Please contact Martin Albertini, 11 Hargrave Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 6JR (telephone: 01628 633749; E-mail: malbertini|onetel.com). Excellent refreshments, including hot lunches, are available from the nearby café on the opposite side of the car park to the Pelham-Clinton Building, while there is a small kitchen with facilities to make tea or coffee on the BENHS premises.
The dates for Open Days can be found here
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| Dinton Pastures © David Wedd | |
The grid reference is SU 784718; when coming via the M4 take the A329(M) for Reading at junction 10, take the first slip road to Winnersh, then turn left off the B3030 driving North from Winnersh immediately after the bridge over the dual carriageway. Car parking is available at the Dinton Pastures site, the charge is £2 for over four hours parking (confirm on arrival). The BENHS building has a large green model of a Dragonfly on the front wall facing the car park. The site is about 15 minutes walk from Winnersh station, which has trains running on a half-hourly service from Reading and Waterloo.
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| Dinton Pastures © David Wedd | |
The Graham and Helen Howarth Room has meeting room accommodation for up to 36 people, while the library and collections are housed in adjacent rooms, with facilities for books, periodicals and specimens to be consulted and studied.