Brentford and Isleworth Quaker Meeting House

Quaker Meeting House built in 1785 with repairs and alterations in the early C19; the front elevation was largely rebuilt after the Second World War. A classroom was added and other internal alterations were made in 1958 by the architect Hubert Lidbetter. Kitchen and toilets were added in 1982.

MATERIALS: walls are of brown brick with Bath stone corbels, red brick window arches and a slate roof.

PLAN: L-shaped plan. The original meeting house was rectangular with extensions to the south and the west added in the C20.

EXTERIOR: the meeting house of 1785 was originally a rectangular plan comprising a large double-height space for the main meeting room, and a smaller two-storey area with a stair to a gallery. A single-storey classroom was added in 1958 and there were further adaptations in 1982.

The meeting house is built of brick laid in Flemish bond with gable ends which rise from Bath stone corbels. The main elevation faces east where the main entrance has double doors, each of three flush-beaded panels, and a stone hood on brackets inscribed ‘11 4 Mo 1785’. To the south is a replacement six-pane-over-six sash window with a gauged brick arch and shutters with shutter hooks. On the first floor to the south are two arched window openings, one blind and one glazed, with shutters. To the north are three tall arched window openings which are blind with a central sash window with shutters. Above, the eaves have brick dentils. This elevation has been much rebuilt after wartime bomb damage, with the change in brickwork clear at the north-east corner.

The north elevation has an oculus for roof ventilation in the gable, while the west elevation has three round-headed windows with glazing bar sashes. The south elevation has two multi-pane sashes to the first floor and one to the attic, all with flat gauged brick arches.

The C20 additions to the south and west are single-storey, of brick, with a slate pitched roof, with traditional joinery and glazing bar sash windows.

INTERIOR: the main entrance leads into a lobby with a stair leading up to the gallery. There is a blocked fireplace with plain surround to the gallery; at ground-floor level the chimney breast has been truncated for access to the classroom. The meeting room has double doors and a perimeter dado panelling which sweeps up around the raised elders’ stand. The room has a light oak woodblock floor and the walls and flat ceiling are plastered, above this is a king-post roof structure. At high level on the south side are full-width vertically-sliding shutters. Three windows on the west side and one on the east have been fitted with secondary glazing. Below, there is fixed seating on three sides and in the elders’ stand, which is raised by three steps and has a panelled front. On either side are short flights of stairs, each with turned newels of late C18 character.

The C20 additions to the south and west house the classroom, play area, kitchen and toilets.