Holy Brook

The Holy Brook is a six mile long channel of the River Kennet in the vicinity of the English town of Reading. While of considerable historical significance, the origin and nature of the brook is still unclear. It is probable that some parts of the channel are natural, while other parts were created in mediaeval times to supply water to water mills and fish ponds.cite book | title = The Holy Brook or The Granators Tale | first = Adam | last = Sowen | coauthors = Castle, Sally; Hay, Peter | publisher = Two Rivers Press | date = 2003 | isbn = 1-901677-34-6]

The Holy Brook leaves the main channel of the Kennet at a structure known as "Arrowhead" near the town of Theale, and flows to the north of the main channel until rejoining the main channel in the centre of Reading, adjacent to the site of Reading Abbey. Along the way it served two water mills, Calcot Mill and Abbey Mill, both of which originally belonged to Reading Abbey. For the first stretch of its route, the channel forms the boundary between the Reading suburbs of Beansheaf Farm, Fords Farm, Calcot, Southcote, Coley Park and Coley to the north and the Kennet water meadows to the south. In this area the channel gives its name to the nearby civil parish of Holybrook.cite web | url = http://www.visionwebsites.co.uk/Contents/Text/Index.asp?SiteId=419&SiteExtra=12159595&TopNavId=890&NavSideId=4666 | title = History of Holybrook | publisher = Holybrook Parish Council | accessdate = 2007-10-02]

Once past Coley Park the Holy Brook enters the centre of Reading and is culverted for several stretches, only showing itself intermittently. The channel can clearly be seen where it flows under one of the entrances to the Oracle shopping centre, and also where it passes under the Reading Central Library. In this area the Holy Brook has given its name to the 'Holy Brook Mall', the lower of the two enclosed shopping malls within The Oracle centre.

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