Reading is a town and borough in Berkshire, England. Most of its built-up area lies within the Borough of Reading, although some outer suburb…Reading is a town and borough in Berkshire, England. Most of its built-up area lies within the Borough of Reading, although some outer suburbs are parts of neighbouring local authority areas. Located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the rivers Thames and Kennet, Reading is 40 miles east of Swindon, 25 miles south of Oxford, 40 miles west of London and 16 miles north of Basingstoke.