[1] The street is situated in the town centre, running for approximately 0.25 miles (0.40 km), from west to east.

The town of Reading is believed to have been founded in the Saxon period, and originally centred on the site of the current St Mary's Church, to the south of the western end of Broad Street.

After 1121, the foundation of Reading Abbey, to the north of the eastern end of Broad Street, provided a stimulus for the rapid expansion of the town.

[2][3] The early street layout of Reading can be seen in John Speed's atlas, published in 1611 (named Brode Stret).

In this skirmish, the only significant military action of the Glorious Revolution, the Royalist army of James II was defeated by the Protestant troops of Prince William of Orange.

[9][10] In 1903, Reading Corporation Tramways' electric trams replaced the horse-drawn tramcars along Broad Street.

The Broad Street branch of booksellers Waterstone's is of particular interest, as it is a remarkable conversion of a nonconformist chapel dating from 1707.