Dollis Hill Synagogue And Forecourt Railings

Dollis Hill Synagogue, built in 1933 and designed by architect Owen Williams, features a smooth concrete exterior with a parapet front and a minimal style that incorporates symbolic motifs. The building is two storeys tall with ten windows and a central plaque on the first floor. The ground floor has three central entrances flanked by four windows on each side, which have flat heads and semicircular cills. The glazing bars create the pattern of a ritual 7-branched candlestick, a motif that is also reflected in the wrought iron forecourt railing and its double gates at each end.

On the north and south sides, there are three tall shallow bay projections with narrow blank sections in between, topped with shallow pointed parapets that accommodate half-hexagonal windows. Hexagonal windows are located just below these and also at ground level. The side sections and rear elevation serve as the main front. The synagogue hall, built alongside in 1937-38, is much simpler in design.

Inside, the roof features a vault of shallow canted sections that mirror the exterior form. The interior includes good oak veneered galleries and furnishings, which are plain and functional, but the candlestick motif is repeated in the interior rails. Modern stainless steel rails and an actual candlestick are also present.