The Crown On The Bridge is strategically located on the north bank of the River Thames, on  the Bridge in the historic town of Caversham, incorporated into Reading Borough as recently as 1911. It stands on the outskirts of town, seperated from the rest of Reading by the River Thames with access via the Caversham Bridge, a Thames crossing point for over a thousand years.

Historically an important ferry crossing, Henry III ordered an oak tree to be sent to the area in 1231 to make a ferry boat. However, the first bridge was actually in use here before then by travellers, merchants and pilgrims, many of whom will have visited the famous Shrine of Our Lady of Caversham, destroyed during the Reformation.

Caversham Bridge also played an important role in the English Civil War when, during the Siege of Reading in 1643, King Charles I and Prince Rupert of the Rhine led an attempt to relieve the Royalist forces, besieged for months in Reading, by storming the Parliamentary troops on the great Bridge. But it wasn’t until the 1800s that people making the crossing to Caversham would have found the Crown Inn now known as The Crown On The Bridge.

Rebuilt in 1916 on the site of the original tavern, The Crown On The Bridge enjoys a superb location on Bridge Street, near to the beautifully restored Cavendish Court Gardens, an award-winning public park containing several Grade II listed buildings and glorious gardens on three terraces, originally laid out in 1660 as a private retreat.

The Crown On The Bridge is also the ideal lunch or evening haven for those enjoying a walk along the Thames Path National Trail – we are located on the attractive Tilehurst to Sonning section of the Path. After a gentle stroll or a more taxing trek, what better way to finish than lunch with friends from our menu? We offer a traditional pub menu made from high quality produce and a selection of seasonal specials is always certain to tempt the palate. Be sure to sample our real ales or choose from our wine list.

Our riverside location makes The Crown On The Bridge an ideal stop off point for those cruising the Thames, as you can moor up, cross the bridge and be enjoying a pub lunch in no time.