Princes Road Synagogue

Princes Road Synagogue, built 1872–4 for the Liverpool Old Hebrew Congregation, stands as one of the finest 'cathedral synagogues' in Europe. Designed by the nationally significant Liverpool architects W and G Audsley and constructed by Messrs Jones & Sons, it showcases an eclectic Orientalist style blending Moorish, Classical, Egyptian, Romanesque and Gothic influences. The building is of common brick with red brick, red sandstone and polished red granite dressings under a slate roof.

Plan and Setting

The synagogue follows a rectangular basilica plan. A small flat-roofed annexe dating from 1898 stands to the rear left. The building forms part of a remarkable group of 19th-century religious buildings at the north-west end of Princes Road, including the grade II listed Welsh Presbyterian Church (1865–7, also by the Audsley brothers), the grade II listed St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church (1865–70), and the grade II* listed St Margaret's of Antioch Church (1868–9) by G E Street.

Exterior

The main front elevation facing Princes Road presents a dramatic composition. A tall central section rises to a stepped and crested gable, flanked by octagonal turrets that originally carried domed finials shaped as minarets. Projecting stringcourses run between ground and first floor levels and below the gable; the lower stringcourse features lotus leaf antefixae. A pierced sexfoil balustrade crowns the roofline.

The grand entrance portal takes the form of a cusped horseshoe arch. Two doors are separated by a granite trumeau supporting a diapered tympanum containing a gilded Magen David (Star of David). Above the portal sits a large rose window within a cusped horseshoe arch. At the apex of the gable stands a tabernacle inscribed with the Tablets of the Law.

Lower wings extend to each side of the central section. The ground floor features paired Gothic arched windows, while the first floor has five-light round-arched windows with spiral columns. Square turrets terminate each wing; their minarets have been removed. Low apsidal stair turrets with dentil friezes and square-headed windows stand at each end of the elevation.

The side elevations comprise two-storey aisles containing paired windows, those to the first floor having round heads. A dentil frieze runs below the clerestory, which is pierced by triple round-headed windows. The rear elevation features a large east-facing rose window.

The 1898 annexe is a single-storey addition to the rear left with a pitched skylight. Its south-west wall has an arched entrance doorway flanked by square-headed windows, with a dentil frieze above.

Six octagonal minarets that originally surmounted the corners and front of the building were removed in the 1960s after being deemed unsafe.

Interior

The Audsley brothers designed the entire interior decorative scheme, which displays elaborate polychrome and gilded decoration of exceptional quality. Mahogany doors and surrounds are used throughout.

Entrance Vestibule

The entrance vestibule is richly decorated. A brass plate on the foundation stone is set within the trumeau of the main entrance. A First World War memorial takes the form of a marble scroll. Painted columns and pilasters feature Egyptian-style capitals. The blue and white painted coffered ceiling is complemented by a gold-leaf frieze of foliage design to the upper walls and window surrounds. The highly decorative tiled floor depicts the Magen David and roses symbolising an English synagogue, with Greek key decoration.

Three panelled double doors with classical pedimented doorcases lead into the main prayer hall. The central doorcase is flanked by black marble tablets inscribed with benefactors' names and donations. A tiled Hebrew inscription in front of the central door translates as 'Blessed are you on your coming'. Doors to left and right in the same style lead to toilets and a cloakroom. Sweeping stone dog-leg stairs at each end of the vestibule lead up to the ladies' balconies.

Prayer Hall

The prayer hall displays elaborate polychrome and gilded decoration incorporating marble, gold leaf and plaster. Imagery includes roses and pomegranates, symbolising God's relationship with people and the 613 Mitzvah (Jewish laws) respectively. The barrel-vaulted ceiling has cast-iron ribs and retains the original Audsley brothers' vivid green paint scheme (restored) with brightly coloured and gold-leaf stencilling.

Five-bay Moorish-style nave arcades to each side represent the Ten Commandments. These are supported by octagonal cast-iron columns with decorative lotus leaf capitals. A large Gothic east rose window lights the sanctuary, set back behind a cusped horseshoe Moorish arch supported on red and green marble columns. A second rose window and arch stand at the west end. Decorative coffered ceilings cover the sanctuary and side aisles.

A choir loft sits above an arcaded balustrade behind the Ark. Seating is provided in the ground floor side aisles and in the first floor ladies' galleries to three sides of the hall. The original Victorian heating system by Seward of Preston survives, including upright pipe coil heaters. Small rooms to the rear for the minister and choir (now mainly used for storage) are accessed via a cast-iron spiral stair leading up to the choir balcony.

Fixtures and Fittings

The Ark is an extremely ornate 25-foot-high multi-coloured marble structure in Byzantine style with gilded decoration, alabaster and Caen sandstone. Restored around 1979 after fire damage, it stands on a polished marble platform. Five domed cupolas (painted blue with gilded decoration) crown the Ark, the large central dome being supported on a Moorish arcade with a Hebrew inscription from Isaiah 2:5.

The ornate Bimah (Almemar) stands at the west end of the central aisle, constructed of various marble types with gold-leaf decoration and accessed via steps. The pink marble columned balustrade features Corinthian-style capitals and was donated by David Lewis in 1875 to replace a wooden version. A marble pulpit in similar style to the Bimah was donated by Henrietta Braham in memory of James Braham. The Ark, Bimah and pulpit were carved by Alfred Norbury of Liverpool. The marble Ark steps, platform and columns were made by J Stubbs of Liverpool.

Original Bimah lamps survive, along with a pendant Ner Tamid (perpetually lit light fitting in front of the Ark representing the 'everlasting light') donated by Mrs David Lewis, and a Menorah on black marble bases flanking the Ark (donated by R H Samuel). All original brass gaslight fittings (converted to electricity in 1898) by Hart Son Peard & Co of London remain in place. Ornamental ironwork is by Messrs Charles Smith & Son of Birmingham. Ebonised mahogany and gilded chairs dating from around 2001 flanking the Ark represent the six million Jews who died during the Holocaust.

Black marble tablets flanking the inside of the central entrance door are inscribed in English with the Ten Commandments. A Hebrew wall clock in the form of an Ark beneath the west ladies' gallery was made by John Sewill of Liverpool. Original pitch-pine pews with armrests and individual reading desks furnish the hall.

Stained Glass

All windows contain stained glass incorporating floral designs, all by R B Edmundson & Son of Manchester.

Rear Annexe

The rear annexe is plainly detailed with a central pitched skylight and parquet floor. A wooden memorial tablet hangs on the north-west wall. A fireplace has been removed.

History

The Jewish community in Liverpool was founded in the mid-18th century and became one of the largest and most influential communities outside London due to its social connections and the prominence of its members as leading merchants, bankers, shopkeepers and jewellers.

Princes Road Synagogue was constructed in 1872–4 at a cost of approximately £15,000, replacing an earlier synagogue of 1807 in Seel Street. The new synagogue was built on land acquired from the Earl of Sefton and was designed to seat over 800 worshippers compared with the relatively small congregation of 300 that the Seel Street synagogue could hold. It was designed by the Liverpool-based architects W & G Audsley, who won a competition in 1871 after having completed the Welsh Presbyterian Church (1865–8) across the road. The synagogue was built by Messrs Jones & Sons of Liverpool.

The foundation stone was laid on 23 December 1872 by Ralph H Samuel, Chairman of the Building Committee. A time capsule containing information about the history of the Old Hebrew Congregation, accounts, coins, the ceremony's invitation list, copies of the daily newspapers and photographs was inserted into the wall cavity. The synagogue was finally consecrated on 3 September 1874.

The money for the synagogue's construction was raised by its congregation and patrons, who included Samuel Montagu (banker, Liberal politician and the 1st Lord Swaythling whose family ran the well-known jewellers H Samuel), David Lewis (founder of Lewis' department store), Louis Cohen (later director of Lewis' and Lord Mayor of Liverpool) and George Behrend (Liverpool merchant and ship owner). The Samuel family, including Herbert Samuel (later Viscount Samuel, first High Commissioner of Palestine), were prominent members of the congregation. Unusually, a large number of female patrons also donated money and their names are recorded on black marble tablets in the main entrance vestibule alongside the men. A Hebrew Ladies' Bazaar held in February 1874 at St George's Hall raised £3,700 for the synagogue's interior decoration.

W & G Audsley were also responsible for designing the interior decoration, which was carried out by leading firms. The original green colour of the walls was restored in the late 20th century to the Audsleys' designs.

Abraham Saqui, widely regarded as one of the most important Victorian synagogue composers, was the first choirmaster at Princes Road Synagogue. It was here that he developed his compositions, including 'Songs of Israel' (published 1878). Saqui's music has since spread to synagogues all over the world, including Jerusalem Great Synagogue, which incorporates four of his compositions into their main repertoire. Although originally designed for all-male choirs, his music was later used by mixed choirs from the end of the 19th century. Princes Road Synagogue's repertoire is still largely based upon Saqui's works, and it is the only synagogue in England to retain a mixed choir.

The building's eclectic Orientalist design represents both the Liverpool Jewish community's eastern origins and their desire to maintain links with the Holy Land, while also emphasising their prominent and influential position within western society and their identity as Anglo-Jews. The symbolic incorporation of English roses into the interior design alongside the Magen David and marble tablets recording the Ten Commandments in English highlights the building's key identity as an English synagogue. Both the external design and lavish interior represent the growing self-confidence of the Jewish community within England in the mid to late 19th century and their newfound freedom of self-expression.

Princes Road Synagogue is closely comparable to the grade I listed New West End Synagogue, with which it shares a similar design by the same architect, G Audsley. Together, the two synagogues could be said to form a pair.