There are also sporting facilities and the Prospect Park Miniature Railway within the 50 hectares (120 acres) of parkland, and a restaurant in the Mansion House.

[2][3] Originally the site of Dirle's Farm, the land was part of the Calcot Park estate.

By the middle of the 18th century, Calcot Park was the home of Frances Kendrick and her husband Benjamin Child, but after Frances's death Benjamin sold the bulk of the estate to John Blagrave, keeping only the eastern part that is now Prospect Park.

His birth name was John Engelberts Ziegenbein and he immigrated to England and obtained naturalisation in 1781.

[13] He was also an art collector and when he moved from Prospect Park in 1880 a sale of some of his paintings was held by Christie's at the House.

[14] George and Lucy Liebenrood did not have any children, so when they died Prospect Park was inherited by their cousin Captain John Hancock.

[17] He entered the navy in 1827 and spent 35 years in the naval service, rising to the rank of captain.

The couple lived at Prospect Park for about fourteen years, and then in 1902 they sold it to the Reading Borough Council.

In the south-eastern corner of the park, the Reading Society of Model Engineers runs a miniature railway, which is open to the public on certain days.