Forbury

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A public garden and historic green space in the English town of Reading, known for its Victorian layout and war memorial
2. The name of a park in central Reading, Berkshire, laid out on the grounds of a former medieval abbey and castle
3. A well-known urban park in Reading, England, set on land once occupied by a castle and abbey complex

Etymology: Forbury is a place name rather than a common word. It belongs to an open space in Reading, Berkshire, where Forbury Gardens lie beside the ruins of Reading Abbey. The name is most likely a compound of the Old English "fore," meaning "in front of" or "outer," and "burh," a fortified enclosure, the same element that gives "-bury" in many English place names. The name therefore probably describes a defended space in front of a stronghold rather than the stronghold itself. The Forbury is generally understood to have been the outer court of the abbey, which fits that sense, though the exact medieval extent of the area is uncertain.