Reading Synagogue

The following building shall be added:-

READING GOLDSMID ROAD SU7073 934-0/12/10006 Reading Synagogue II

Synagogue. 1900; by William G. Lewton of Reading, for the Reading Hebrew Congregation; later C20 hall attached to the south side. Red brick in English bond, with Bath stone dressings. Slate roof with gabled ends with corbelled verges and eaves. Brick axial stack. PLAN: Rectangular plan synagogue with entrance on the north side into a vestibule at the west end. Rising from the vestibule a staircase leads to the ladies gallery and to the committee room at the west end. Below, also at the west end, was the Mikvah, now covered over, Later C20 hall added on south side. Moorish style. EXTERIOR: 2 storey 4-bay north front divided by pilasters with gablets to flat buttresses and corbelled eaves cornice; the ground floor has 2-light windows with stone lintels and cills; first floor has 3-light stone windows with horse-shoe arches and twisted colonnettes with carved capitals, carved imposts and ramped cills; the right-hand bay has a portal with brick corbelled pedimental gable with a stone oculus and a doorway with two orders of colonnettes with carved capitals, imposts and a large horse-shoe arch with a carved extrados, fanlight with cusps and stained glass and panelled and glazed double doors. To the right of the portal a fifth bay with a lower hipped roof, tripartite ground floor window with colonnettes; right-hand [west] return similar window and gable with 3-light stair window with horse-shoe arches. East gable-end has circular window with cusps. South elevation has 3-light windows with brick horse-shoe arches and attached to ground floor the later C20 hall. Over the ridge of the synagogue there is a fleche with battered arcading and an onion-shaped cupola with a finial with the Star ofDavid at its apex. INTERIOR is intact and complete with ladies gallery with panelled front and brass rail, supported on columns with console capitals; pews including Chief Rabbi's and minister's pew on either side of the Ark, which has columns in antis, and above, the Commandments with small colonnettes and horse-shoe arches; the bimmah has panelled and balustraded sides, candelabra on the corner-posts and a scroll bearer on either side; in front of the bimmah, the pew of the lay reader, president and vice-president. Exposed roof trusses with cusped brackets with pendants to the tie-beams and baluster posts to the collars. Vestibule at west end with staircase to ladies gallery and committee room; the mikvah below has been covered over. Stained glass windows; the oculus at the east end has Star of David. SOURCE: The Reading Standard, 03/11/1900.

Listing NGR: SU7068673309