 During the Siege of Reading (1642-3), the Royalist garrison built defences that further damaged the remains of the Abbey, and Forbury Hill was used as a gun emplacement.As a result of the concerns sparked in England by the French Revolution, and throughout the ensuing Napoleonic Wars, the Forbury was used for military drills and parades, in addition to its well-established use for fairs and circuses.Three annual fairs were generally held on the Forbury, but the most significant was the "Michaelmas Fair", held in September.