Old Reading Room

TQ3303SW 577-1/55/899 13/10/52

BRIGHTON THE ESPLANADE, Kemp Town (South side) Old Reading Room (Formerly Listed as: THE ESPLANADE, KEMP TOWN Building below Tunnel Entrance formerly the Old Reading Room)

GV II

Reading room, adapted for committee meetings. 1835. Designed by William Kendall, the architect who laid out Madeira Drive and Esplanade as well as Esplanade Cottages and The Temple (qv). Stucco. 5-bay range. Subordered, round-arched tunnel entrance is framed by rusticated piers and panelled blocks; architraves to opening; chamfered jambs; spandrel panels recessed. This opening, which goes under the roadway to emerge between Esplanade Cottages on the other side, is set in the centre of a 5-bay pilastrade of the Tuscan order; continuous entablature with dentil cornice above. Each of the side bays is subordered by a pair of smaller Tuscan pilasters supporting an entablature; within each side bay is a round-arched opening, now blocked, with architraves and projecting sills; plain dado below. INTERIOR: not inspected. Forms part of a group with the Tunnel entrance, Esplanade Cottages and The Temple (qv). Kemp Town constitutes a most important group and consists of Arundel Terrace, Chichester Terrace, Lewes Crescent, Sussex Square and related buildings. Forms part of a group with Esplanade Cottages, Tunnel entrance and The Temple (qv). (Carder T: The Encyclopaedia of Brighton: Lewes: 1990-: 81).

Listing NGR: TQ3313003421