Description

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

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26567154

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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