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Calcot Park is now a golf course, but it was once the home of the celebrated Berkshire Lady. The gentlewoman who was given this outstanding nickname was Frances Kendrick, an early 18th century lady of the Manor. She was the heiress of the Kendricks of Whitley, but sold up there to move further out of town. She was an extraordinary woman who could ride, hunt, shoot and fence as well as any man. She was also extremely beautiful, and her suitors were many. However, a well known story tells how she had her sights set on a poor barrister named Benjamin Child. Frances had met him at a party in Reading, but he had taken little notice of her. So the lady sent young Child an anonymous letter challenging him to a duel. The confused lawyer arrived at the rendezvous expecting to find some hot headed dandy. Instead he was faced by a masked lady with rapier pointing his way. Then came the icing on the cake, for she posed him a question: "Fight or marry me?" After some deliberation, Benjamin decided discretion to be the better part of valour and accepted the latter course of action. He was whisked her off to Wargrave, where the two were quickly wed. It wasn't until afterwards that Benjamin discovered the identity of his new bride. The two later fell deeply in love and, when Frances died, her husband could not bear to stay at Calcot alone. He sold the house to Sir John Blagrave but, when he arrived to take possession, Benjamin suddenly changed his mind and refused to leave. The Blagraves had to strip the lead from the roof to flush him out. However, the weather did so much damage that they were forced to totally rebuild the mansion (1755) as we see it today.

See also Tilehurst