The Acacias, London Road, Grade II

Before 1840 (shewn on Weller map). A detached 2 storey and basement villa of Bath stone with hipped slate roof. Moulded eaves cornice. 3 windows 1st floor, 2 on ground floor, glazing bar sashes with flanking full height pilaster strips. Central door with segmental patterned fanlight. Plain Greek Doric porch on stone steps. East return has 2 ground floor bows which have been attributed to Waterhouse as alterations for William Isaac Palmer (of Huntley and Palmers) who lived there - one has stairs to basement. Good conservatory at rear with an extensive rockery. Linked to Greenbank by 3+3 window 3 storey extension with 2 storey pavilion to right. The interior has a number of reeded
features (front door surround, ground floor back room fireplace etc). Excellent contemporary ironwork to street - spearhead railings box panel standards and double gates.

Addington Road (No.7)

Building to the east of South House Reading school, Grade II

1880s, probably by Charles Smith. 1 1/2 storeys red brick with 3 course grey chequer bands and tiled roofs with fishscale bands. Small building with gabled cross wing to east, whose gables have chimneys and flanking Gothic windows (similar to big school windows), large hipped dormers to west. 3 lancets below with roll mould to corner of reveals. Steps down to central western doorway,
original strap hinges to door.

Blandford Lodge 

Pepper Lane.

The parish boundary with Early CP runs through. Late C19. 2 storeys. Grey brick, mostly headers. Stone dressings with architraves. 2:1:2 bays. Central gable. Plate glass sash windows. Modified Doric porch. 2 gables to west with 2 storey angled bay. Part of the Whiteknights Park development, probably of 1870s. Now part of the University and altered.

Broadoak House 

St.Josephs. Grade II

Now incorporated in a Convent. Circa 1870-1890s. 2½ storeys, red brick with stone bands to plinth, ground floor lintel and 1st floor cill. Stone dressings and coped verges. Ball finials to kneelers. Asymetrical plan with 2 slight end gable breaks and a further gable to right. 5 bays in all : 2 storey bay
to left triple lancat and oculus-type stair window left of centre. Thicker panel of masonry for arched entrance (with "Broad Oak' inscribed in relief on lintel). 3 snail foiled lights over. 2 right hand windows have mullion and transom windows. Tiled roof with Joseph Morris-type dormers :- 2 gables
it triangular moulded verges and 2 lights. Interior: not outstanding. Tiled hall with staircase to left, unusual balustrade and pendants. Chimneypieces circa 1890 with pigeon-hole over mantels.

The Chapel, 

Reading School. Grade II

1870s, probably by Alfred Waterhouse who designed the school. Plain Early English style. English bond red brick with blue brick bands and chequering especially to eaves which have small chevron decoration. Tiled roof with fishscale bands. 8 bays, with dividing buttresses, 5 bays of paired lancets, small gabled porch to south-west and a single lancet to east bay. Stepped triple lancet  to east. Small 2 light ambled extension to south (vestry) with small belfry and tall octagonal chimney. Interior : plain brick, arch braced collar beam trusses on corbels, long benches to sides

Chiltern Court

St.Peters Avenue, Grade II

Number 37, Chiltern Court II House, used as offices. 1879-80; by William Ravenscroft of Reading, for George May; altered C20. Polychrome grey, yellow and red brick with moulded brick strings and terracotta panels; clay plain tile roof, hipped and gabled. Tall grey brick stacks with yellow brick shafts and corbelled brick tops. PLAN: Entrance/stairhall and principal rooms on left [SE], and with service wing on right [NW]. Queen Anne style. EXTEPIOR: 2 storeys, attic and basement. Asymmetrical 1:3:2:3:3:3:2 bay NE front, three 3-window projecting wings, the left two gabled [gables rebuilt], the left with integral porch with elliptical arch, the centre with canted bay on ground floor, the right hipped and with wide dormer; moulded brick stings, the centre and left wings have yellow brick pilasters and moulded terracotta panels in a frieze between the strings. The left [SE] is similarly treated and has a large stack with yellow brick shafts and a moulded brick aedicule with moulded terracotta panels with vases of sunflowers. The SW garden front is similarly treated, of 3:2:3:4:1:3 bays, the right wing with Dutch gable, the centre canted and hipped, the left with large lateral stack with aedicifle, similar aedicule with vase of sunflowers between centre and right bays; wooden verandah between left and centre wings. Tall narrow moulded brick windows have key blocks in cambered arches and sashes with margin glazing bars in top sash. INTEPIOR not inspected.

Christchurch Road

Nos.3-9.Grade II

Before 1840. Built as part of Whitley Crescent. Altered. Stucco 3 storey and basement terrace, Nos 7 and 9 with band over ground floor. 1 range of glazing bar sashes each originally. Now altered, No 5 and No 3. Segmental headed doorways with recessed doors. Slate roofs with brick chimneys, No 3
hipped to left. Included for group value.

Christchurch Road

Nos.11-25.Grade II

Before 1840, built as part of Whitley Crescent. 2 storeys. Brick with slate roof. Glazing bar sash windows. Each house has 1 range of windows and a door, only Nos 21 and 23 retain their 6-gmnelled doors, rest altered. Small quadrant surrounds with radiating fanlights over. The continuous trellis verandah now retained only before Nos 15 and 17 and Nos 23 and 25. Nos 15-25 retain low
arrow head rails with panel standards. 

Christchurch Road

27-33. Grade II

Circa 1840. Built as part of Whitley Crescent. A good stucco terrace of 2 bay 3 storeys and basement houses. String at 1st floor level, eaves, hipped slate roof. Glazing bar sashes except on 2nd floors and upper sashes of No 27. Ground floor windows in segmental-headed recesses. Doors in deep recesses with fluted quadrant jambs, key-pattern frieze and radiating fanlights. Excellent panelled doors with large central rosette all similar (except for No 27 now replaced by poor modern door). Nos 27-31 (odd) retain fleur-de-lys rails.

Christchurch Road

85-89. Grade II

Circa 1800. Formerly 2 pairs of cottages. 2 storeys. Red brick with silver grey headers. Old tile hipped roofs (Nos 87 and 89 half-hipped with central chimney). No 85 3 bays, Nos 87 and 89 2 bays. Flanking screen walls with curved coping (except to-right of No 85) screening single storey lean-to of one bay. Glazing bar sash windows. No 85 central 6-panel door with radiating
fanlight in arched recess. Nos 87 and 89 doors in side wings (outer doorways blocked), No 87 retains trellis porch. 

Christchurch Vicarage 

Grade II

1871. Designed by Alfred Waterhouse. 2 and 3 storeys of grey brick with quoins and dressings of red brick. Old tile roof with gables. Toothed brick eaves  and verges. Red brick chimneys, large chimney to east with grey brick tumbling. Segmental headed windows, mostly plate glass sashes. Chequer band of grey and red brickwork over ground floor. 1 gabled break and 2 southern gables to south which has 2 bracketed lean-tos to French windows on ground floor. East front has lean-to roof with small room over porch, a hipped gable break 2 windows wide next to the chimney which incorporates an arched doorway at its base and a projecting 1 1/2 storey outhouse adjacent to coachhouse wing.

Christ Church, 

Grade II

Church of England 1861-2 by Henry Woodyer. Enlarged 1874. An extremely good and large High Victorian Church and one of Reading's landmarks. Early English style. North-west tower porch capped by steeple. Built in coursed Pennant rubble with ashlar quoins and dressings. Tiled roofs. 6 bay aisled nave and lower 3 bay chancel. Latter has later vestry (as north transept externally with arcaded string, pointed doorway and plate tracery occulus). 1874 south chapel. Nave clerestory consists of small foiled lancets set in a bold ashlar blind traceried arcade. Aisle windows also cusped, divided by buttresses. Geometric tracery window to chancel and 5 light decorated-style east window. Tower and steeple are the main features, completed 1875 (though carving unfinished). 3 stage tower with angle buttresses with stepped plinth and various set offs, capped by diagonal pinnacles taking fliers to steeple. Gargoyles and unfinished decoration to parapet. Total height to top of steeple 164 ft. Uncarved crockets to south porch. Interior. ruin feature is the chancel arch whose upper part is filled with reticulated tracery (said to represent the Veil of the Temple ). Arcade has Purbeck shafts and gablets to capitals which have large naturalistic flowers. cusped rere-arches to clerestory. Queen post roof with wind braces. Collar purlin roof with scissor braces in chancel. Pulpit, also probably by
Woodyer, in 2 stages. Low flint wall about 4 ft high and with chamfered capping to street. The church was originally planned as a 'chapel of ease' for St Giles', to cope with an expanding parish. Woodyer's school in Basingstoke Road (qv St Paul's School) was used until Christ Church was ready.

Eastern Avenue 

29  & 31 Grade II

1840s stucco villa with slate roof. Facing south. Rusticated quoins. 3 bays, cross glazed and plate glass sash windows with hood moulds, outer tripartite. Parapet. Projecting box porch with rounded corners and pierced parapet. Porch door half-glazed with stop chamfered reveals. 4 panel door with glazed side panels and lozenge glazing to rectangular overlight.

Foxhill House

Large house in landscape surround, now students hall of residence. 1868  by Alfred Waterhouse and built for himself. Red brick, diaper patterning and with much cut brick moulding, plain and fish scale tile roof with  cresting, irregular large chimneys with offset heads, one gabled semi- 
dormer right of centre, one half hipped semi-dormer left of centre.  High Victorian Gothic style.  2 storeys and attics. Irregular fenestration; all sashes without glazing  bars. Main features of entrance front. 3 gable projections one to left  which is also gabled on re-entry, one centre at right, one in centre  with stained and traceried window to staircase; enclosed gabled entrance 
porch with buttresses and moulded arch to right of staircase projection.  Garden front:- similar style with gable to left, 4 bays lean to verandah  and large conservatory to right. Interior: 3-flight staircase in entrance  hall with arched balusters, carved panels and moulded handrail; stained glass stair window. Large hooded fireplace on clustered columns with carved capitals in hall. Attic stairs with elaborate balustrade and arcade to landing. Panelled principal ground floor rooms with chimneypieces. Panelled first floor chamber with coved ceiling. Billiard room with lantern light. Glazed conservatory.  B.O.E. (Berkshire) p.203. 

Foxhill House Stables & Coach House

Stables and coach house to country house, converted into students' accommodation. 1868; by Alfred Waterhouse for his own use; extended circa 1900; converted C20. Red brick with blue brick diapering. Shaped tile roof with gabled and half-hipped ends with corbelled brick verges and eaves. Brick axial stacks with brick corbelled caps. 
PLAN: L-shaped on plan, built around two sides of a small courtyard with a short circa 1900 wing on the SE side and Foxhill House on the SW side. 
High Victorian Gothic style. 
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical elevations. The north east front has segmental arch to carriageway at centre with canted oriel in small gable above, loading door [now window] in gable to right and half dormer on left, and with later inserted windows. The NW elevation has two gables with corbelled brick strings, the right-hand half-hipped gable is the cross-gabled end of the west wing. The SW elevation faces the courtyard and has segmental arch to carriageway at centre, lower circa 1900 wing on right and main wing on left with half-hipped projection on inner face with C20 ground floor window. SE gable end has moulded brick occulus. Sash windows without glazing bars. 
INTERIOR not inspected. 

The Great Hall,

 London Road Campus, Grade II

University Great Hall. Dated 1905. Red brick with orange brick window dressings and all other dressings of Portland stone. Plain tiled roofs  with four pediment - gabled dormers to each side and parapet - gables at each end containing keyed oculi and flanked by towers with rusticated corner piers with arched intradoses, cornices and squared stone cupolas. North end: very large Venetian window with stone surround and prominent keystone. Datestone below reading: THIS STONE WAS LAID/BY THE RIGHT HONOURABLE/VISCOUNT GOSCHEN DCL FRS/CHANCELLOR/OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD/VII JUNE MCMV. Side Front: Divided into six bays by brick  buttresses rising to pedimented weatherings over brick panels and carrying on as shallower pilaster - buttresses after main-wing with volute brackets to stone cornice carrying parapet ramped up to pedestals
with lunette motifs. Paired arched windows between with stone impost  blocks and keystones, gauged heads and very tall sash windows with glazing bars. North ends of both sides have entrances with panelled doors topped by overlights with stained glass, and stone surrounds with double
orders of Doric pilasters, triglyph friezes and half-open triangular pediments over. Interior: Barrel vaulted hall with Neo-Georgian plaster decoration. The University of Reading was originally opened as an Extension-College of the University of Oxford and received its charter as a University in 1927.

Greenbak

42,London Road, Grade II

Apparently mid-C18. Altered and restored. 2 storeys and attic. Silver grey brick headers with red dressings and quoins. Moulded and bracketed wood cornice. Hipped slate roof. 3 grey brick chimneys with stone moulded capping (probably C20 'replica' work). 2 dormers with moulded cornices, casements. Glazing bar sash windows otherwise: 4 to 1st floor, 3 on ground floor. Door in architrave surround broken at corners, panelled pilasters, console brackets, broken cornice and pediment: 6 panel door. Late C19 glazed porch in front. Return red brick with blue-grey headers, 1 panel per floor to east. Early C19 cast iron railings with panel standards on low wall with stone coping to street.

Headmaster's Lodge, 

Craven Road, Grade II

Headmaster's lodge for Reading School. Built 1840 as Penrhyn Lodge in London Road by Henry Briant. Moved to Craven Road probably 1878, architect Joshua Greenaway. Assymmetrical detached villa. 2 storeys, coursed dressed stone. 3 bays, mullion and transom windows with hoodmoulds. Slate roof with lozenge bands. Corbels to parapet continued up 3 gables to west - the left hand gable
breaks forward; the centre gable is small for a badge and a projecting gabled porch with chamfered shafted corners; the right hand gable has parapetted angled bay. Lower 2 storey extension with gabled return to left. South front has oriel on grotesque corbel and has head stops to 1st floor right hand window. Steps to east entrance with carved eagle on top of flight.

Hillside, 

Allcroft Road, Grade II

Large house, now flats, dated 1880 by Morris and Stallwood for W I Palmer of Huntley and Palmer, extended and dated 1898, by the same architects. Grey brick, slate roofs with red tile cresting, extensive red brick and terracotta dressings. 

Entrance front. 
Right hand section, dated 1880. Three asymmetrical bays, two and a half storeys and basements, with single storey porch set forward. Moulded brick storey bands and cornices, some bays with small dentil cornices, some with a moulded plaster frieze. Gauged brick window and door arches, most with enriched keystones. Symmetrical left hand bay of a pair of rectangular ground floor windows under shaped rubbed brick arches and heads. Cambered first floor windows flanked by small rectangular lights set between red brick pilaster strips rising through two storeys terminating in ball finials. These frame upper floor window set beneath small richly moulded red brick pediment all clasped by moulded timber eaves. Terracotta panels to upper floor, beneath moulded plaster frieze. Central bay has near symmetrical two bay porch, defined by pilaster strips surmounted by ball finials, each bay beneath small, enriched, red brick pediment. Left hand oriel window with heavy glazing bars, some coloured glass panes survive. Semi-basement window below. Right hand entrance under similar arch leads to outer lobby with doorway to left under gauged brick head. Door of raised and fielded panels has hefty brass door furniture. Grey brick rear wall within red brick arch contains oculus, lighting basement stairs. Polychrome tile floor. Shaped stone steps within splayed red brick parapet wall, terminating in square piers with ball finials. Upper floor in three bays defined by shallow pilaster strips under frieze of moulded sunflowers. Cambered headed small paned sashes flank rectangular two light small paned casement under fanlight. Symmetrical pedimented right hand wing has single rectangular small paned sash to each floor in deep red brick architrave beneath dated terracotta tablet in the pediment. Tall slender grey brick stacks with red brick strips and horizontal bands.

Left hand, symmetrical, two and a half storey two bay addition, and shallow stair bay to right, with service entrance. Red brick frieze and dentil cornice to each floor. Plaster frieze beneath eaves. Rectangular small paned sashes in red brick architraves. Paired ground floor windows have continuous red brick apron. First floor windows enhanced by pilaster strips. Terracotta aprons beneath paired upper floor sashes, each pair under pediment, with grey brick face with terracotta rosette, and rich red brick dressings, all clasped by moulded timber eaves. Tall grey and red brick stack with moulded cap. Service entrance under shaped parapet, with angle pilaster with ball finial, beneath tall small paned sash stair window, set directly below the eaves. 

Right return. 
Two bays, of two and two and a half storeys. Continuous storey mouldings and dentil cornices, terracotta panels at first floor. Left hand pedimented canted bay in red brick has sash windows with small paned upper sashes. Ground floor windows under shaped gauged brick heads. Right hand wing defined by red brick plaster strips terminating in ball finials, has aedicular red brick niche at first floor flanked by tall sashes. Richly moulded red brick pediment with grey brick frieze, flanked by shaped grey brick panels linking to pilasters. Pair of narrow, small paned lights. 

Garden front.
Asymmetrical, in five bays, with similar details as front. Continuous dentil cornice across first floor, and, at upper floor across all but original two and a half storey bay; plaster frieze to right hand extension. Original house has two storey canted bay to left, each face with small pediment. Near symmetrical two and a half storey right hand bay set forward. Ground floor entrance to right under round arch. Pediment to upper storey above two-light small-paned casement, flanked by pilaster strips rising from floor below and terminating in ball finials. All other windows are sashes, the upper sashes with small panes, in moulded timber architraves, under slightly cambered gauged brick arches at ground floor, flat, moulded arches at first floor. 
Extension in two bays. Two storey canted bay to left with moulded red brick parapet. Windows similar to original build. Upper floor similar to entrance front. 

Left return
Broad pedimented bay with services behind screen wall at ground floor. At first floor, pair of timber canted bays with sashes, the upper sashes small paned, flank small central casement. Dentil cornice. Tripartite small paned lights to pediment above terracotta apron dated 1898, small oculus above. 

Interior
Only public areas visited.
Inner porch. Raised and fielded panelled dado. Polychrome mosaic floor. Richly moulded architraves to oriel window, most panes with yellow/ochre painted glass panels. Inner door. Lower raised and fielded panels, upper glazed panels, the margin lights retaining yellow/ochre painted glass. 

Hall. Raised and fielded panelled dado. Frieze of deep panels with carved rosettes. Deep moulded ceiling ribs with drop finials. Doors of five raised and fielded panels, picked out in paler wood, in moulded architraves with rondels at the angles, under flat topped shaped canopies on moulded brackets. Heavy brass finger plates and locks. Chimneypiece in eared architrave with fluted frieze, under possibly later pediment with shaped brackets to the sides. Passage with similar dado leading to pair of doors, with glazed upper panels with painted glass similar to front door, under rectangular overlight. Deep arched ribs with moulded panels and turned feet. Open well closed string stair. Deep, moulded string, at landing with triple panels. Square or turned newels with turned finials, turned balusters, moulded rail. Dado with vertical fielded panels. Upper gallery on slender turned columns supporting broad central arch and narrower outer arches, all beneath frieze repeated from hall. Inner face has plain frieze and dentil cornice. Architraves of stair windows have rondels at the angles. Upper floor doorways in architraves with rondels at the angles, and carved drapes falling from them. Doors of five raised and fielded panels with brass door furniture. Lincrusta dado between moulded skirting and rail. Simpler doors in upper floor passage and added wing, with moulded panels in moulded architraves.

Ground floor common room. Room includes end bay of original house, with garden door, under lower plaster ceiling in rich timber frame. Panelled dado. Simple plaster ceiling above rich moulded frieze. Richly carved chimneypiece with scrolled pediment above mirrored panels. Polychrome tile fire back and hearth. 
Basement stairs, below main stairs, are similarly panelled to hall with turned baluster screen to hall. Basement has polychrome encaustic floor tiles to original house. 

Back stairs, square newels with ball finials and stick balusters.

The house was built for W I Palmer of Huntley and Palmers. It is one of the most opulent buildings of this period in Reading, which has a rich diversity of late C19 housing. Morris and Stallwood were prolific and accomplished local architects, well tuned to tastes and trends in public and private building, suited to a wealthy client wishing to invest in a building of the highest quality. The building is owned by Reading University and subdivided into flats. Only public areas are accessible and this description is based on visible rooms. Other rooms are said to contain chimneypieces and cupboards. Although the grounds have been built over in part, the house retains its entrance drive, gatepiers, gates and railings and some of its garden giving it its original sense of scale, space and context.

The Lodge

Whiteknights Road, Grade II

Lodge to Foxhill. Probably by Waterhouse in a Neo-Gothic style. c1868. Red brick with dark brick bands and stone dressings. Fishscale slate roof. One and a half storeys. Roofs with stone coped gabled parapets with kneelers and finials; large central brick stack with original clay
pots, and smaller west gable stack projecting from wall. Irregular fenestration on both storeys with casements on ground floor, sashes above, all with centre stone mullions. Square bay at angle on east wing with stone tile hipped roof. Doorway on right of north gable end with stone
pointed, moulded arch surround, plain boarded door and drip mould with foliage label stops over. Small buttress to right of door with small stone twin gablets with cusped detail.

Lodge to Whiteknights Park House. 

Grade II

Late C19. Single storey asymetrical lodge formerly serving Whiteknights Bark House. Red brick with a diaper of grey headers. Slate roof. 2 gables tofront with bargeboards. Porch to right, bay window to left. Paired octagonal chimneys. Gabled projection to road. Decorative timbering in gable to east.
Brick gate pier and quadrant dwarf wall with railings.

North Lodge

Whiteknights Road, Grade II

Lodge. Early C19. Stuccoed brick with slate gabled roof. T-plan. One storey. Plinth impost band and dentilled cornice and gable-pediments. Single stack on outer pediment. Recessed arches on 3 sides, with plain venetian windows, glazing bars, and plain door with casement in arch over
to road. Ramped wall down to former gate opening to south. Small wing to rear.

South Lodge

Whiteknights Road, Grade II

Lodge. Early C19. Stuccoed brick with slate roof. T-plan. One storey. Plinth, impost band and dentilled course and gable-pediments. Single stack on outer pediment. Recessed arches on 3 sides, with plain venetian windows,glazing bars, and plain door with casement in arch over to road . Ramped wall down to former gate opening to north. Small wing to rear.

Portland Place

32-40 London Road Grade II

Formerly part of Portland Place and including Portland House (No 32). Before 1802. 3 storeys and basement, Western part with attic. Red brick. Stone string over basement windows. Stucco string at 1st floor level. Simple stucco cornice and brick parapet over. Part mansard old tile roof, part slate roof. 6 dormer windows, glazing bar sash windows. 15 to upper floors with small wrought iron balconies on 1st floor. Ground floor altered now 14 windows and 1 doorway to left and 6 panelled door with radiating fanlight and Doric portico, frieze cornice and blocking course. Detached corresponding doorway to right lacks fanlight. Contemporary arrow head railings. 

The Mount, Grade II

Royal Berkshire Hospital

Grade II

Main block 1839 by local architect and builder Henry Briant (who won the competition for designing the hospital). As King William IV took such a keen interest in the hospital before it was built, his Arms, not Queen Victoria's appear on the central pediment. 2 storeys and basement. Bath stone - very large ashlar blocks used to front. Slate roofs. 11 bays with 7 bay central break projecting pedimented hexastyle Ionic portico. Glazing bar sash windows. Corner piers. Channelled basement. Astragal to moulded cornice (dentil cornice to portico) and parapet. Recessed side entrance bays. Wide steps to portico with excellent contemporary lamp tripods with guilloche ornament. Interior: colonaded stair hall, cast iron balusters to stairs which divide at landing. 1882 chapel with contemporary fittings reached from under landing. (By Joseph Morris who made considerable extensions to the Hospital at that date). The main block has flanking wings added 1865 to designs by Joseph Morris. 3 storeys
also Bath stone and long side wings forming a large courtyard added 1881-2. The latter are also of Bath stone, have 5x5 end pavilions with 3 bay pedimented breaks and are linked to side wings by a Greek Doric colonade (east side) and a 1911 block (west side). In front to street is a dwarf-stone tall with moulded coping and 5 retraining ashlar gate piers with block modillions to mouldedcapping. 

Reading School 

Grade II

1865-71, designed by Alfred Waterhouse. Gothic style with rigorous symmetry except for octagonal turret with pyramidal roof to right of central hall. 2 storeys and attics. Built of red brick with blue brick decoration. Gabled tiled roof with fishscale bands, vents etc designed to add to interest of skyline

as well as chimneys with 3 shafts at joined capping and with tumbled brick.Terracotta window dressings and details. Diaper panel to 1st floor cill. Hall:8 bays with 2 stages of pointed geometric tracery windows and dividing buttresses, corbelled cornice and central vent. Turret projects from north-west corner with arched louvred openings to belfry stage. Entrance in 2 central bays with corbelled arches of 3 orders and with decorative wrought and cast iron gates with wrought iron tympana. Leads through to quadrangle ("Cloister") at rear. East and west wings have central and end gables and further minor gables in reflected symmetry. Roughly 11 bays each with plate glass sash windows 1st floor and plate tracery windows on ground floor. Entrances in 5th bay and in recessed corners to north-west and north-east. Rear elevation equally symmetrical with projecting double gable wings to sides. The "Cloisters" and associated buildings are included in this item. They are probably not by Waterhouse (probably by Charles Smith in the 1880s) in polydrome brick work. The boiler
house chimney springs from the south-east corner of a building with apsed south end. The interiors of the main block contain many original fittings. Marble pillar in "cloisters" with foundation stone laid by HRH Prince of Wales 1.vij. 1870. The school has had a long and distinguished history. Re-endowed by Henry VII in 1488. Archbishop Laud was taught as this school.

Lodge to Whiteknights Park lodge, Chancellors Way Grade II

South House, 

Reading School Grade II

1888, designed by Charles Smith in a subdued Gothic style echoing Waterhouse's main block. Irregular but restrained elevation. 3 storeys red brick with grey brick cill and lintel bands, end gable breaks and slight central break. 2+5+3+3+1 bays with irregular windows; decorative gables over 4 left hand bays, 2 half dormers to right. Segmental headed windows with plate glass sashes and bead moulded reveals. Gables have tripartite ground floor windows with moulded brick mullions. Gabled porch adjacent to right hand gable, pointed doorway.

St.Andrews Hall,  Redlands Road

St.David's Hall

London Road.

Formerly Portland Place. 1830s probably by Billing (local architect). 4 storeys and basement. Bath stone front to brick building. Formerly 4 (?5) houses. End houses project and have angle pilasters, moulded pediments over, entablatureand blocking course with central panel to centre part. Roof slate with large stacks with moulded capping. Ground floor rusticated. Moulded string at 1st floor level. Central portion has continuous Greek Doric colonnade at ground floor level with cast-iron balcony railings over. 3:6:3 windows, glazing bar sashes. 2nd and 4th windows of centre 1st floor have moulded architrave surround and pediment over. 1st floor windows of outer breaks have cast iron balconies and centre one has moulded architrave surround and'cornice over. Flanking Greek Doric porticoes with,blocking course in small recessed 2 storey extensions, small doors with rectangular fanlights over, oval pattern glazing. 2 doors in centre, 4 upper panels glazed, also with oval pattern fanlights. Arrow head railings to areas. 

St.Lukes Church

Erleigh Road, Grade II

The following buildings shall be added to the list:- READING ERLEIGH ROAD SU 7272 (north side) 9/600 Church of St Luke and attached school GV II Church and attached school. 1882 by J P St Aubyn. Red brick in Flemish bond with white brick bands and stone dressings. Plain tile roof with strips of white tiles at angles. 5-bay nave with lean-to side aisles continuing across west end as porch and choir vestry; lower 2-bay chancel with 7-sided east end, gabled southern bell vestry (treated as transept) and south-east vestry with polygonal east end. School attached to north side of chancel. Offset plinth, buttresses with off- sets. Pointed-arched board doors with decorative iron hinges in roll-moulded surrounds. Lancet windows, paired to nave, with hoodmoulds to apse. Modillion eaves cornices. Decorative ridge tiles. Nave: west end has stepped tripled lancets; roll-moulded ashlar coping, east gable having gabled bellcote with cross finial. Chancel: bell vestry has 5 small lancets below stepped tripled lancets. South-east vestry has door, small paired lancets, and 5 more to canted east end above which rises ploygonal roof with cross finial. Eaves stack to main chancel roof. East side of apse has datestone below white brick cross, school: 2 storeys; 2 + 3 bays, on cant. Bay 1, linking school to church, has 3 lancets on each floor. Bay 2 is entrance bay, having door flanked by small lancets below 2 strings, and to upper floor paired lancets with oculus over and gable with bud finial. To right are 7 lancets, and on 1st floor 5 set in gables breaking eaves and arranged 1,1,3. Interior of church: pointed-arched arcades of red brick on stone columns; red brick surrounds to openings, otherwise brown brick throughout. 1914-18 war memorial in recess in nave west wall, behind font. Arch-braced roof trusses with 3 tiers of arched wind braces between 2 sets of purlins. In chancel: encaustic tile roof; sedilia; highly decorative stone reredos; altar rail on twisted and scroll-bracketed balusters; and good stained glass.

St.Luke's Church Hall, 

Erleigh Road  Grade II 

Church hall. Dated 1910. Red brick in Flemish bond with white brick bands and stone dressings. Plain tile roof. One storey, 5 bays. Buttresses with offsets. Paired lancets with leaded glazing and chamfered surrounds, those to bays 2 and 4 taller and breaking eaves below gables. Modillion eaves. Brick kneelers and stone coping to gables. Left return: oculus to gable. Right return: 3 stepped
lancets above foundation. On right, separate gabled bay breaks forward and has entrance: double board door with decorative iron hinges and 3-light 4-centred- arched overlight in chamfered surround; cusped narrow light above. Interior: main hall has quatrefoil-pierced and moulded eaves board, arch-braced roof trusses with chamfered cross braces and crown posts, and cusped wind braces.

The War Memorial, 

London Road Campus. Grade II

War Memorial Circa 1922. Red brick square tower with shallow clasping buttresses. Pyramidal tiled roof with finial. Open top stage with clock and designs and numbers reading in '1914' and '1918' in spandrels. Doubled round - arched windows below with single windows placed centrallybelow them. Round arches on north, and north sides with moulded triangulargables above. Inscribed tablets internally giving the names of the fallen.

Whiteknights House Annexe, 

Queens Drive.

Late C19. Possibly by Waterhouse. 2 storeys with gabled attic. Red brick with grey brick quoins anddressings. Stone crenellated groiJnd floor square bays to outer gabled breaks. Stone string over ground floor. Shaped stone coping and finials to outer gables. 1:3:1 bays, cross glazed sash windows. Central turret with modillion cornice, lacks roof. Low 2 storey 2 window service
wing to right with cogged eaves and a kitchen extension to right (possibly by Joseph Morris 1890s) with crested ridge and dormer light. Hipped extension  to far right with gable for bell. Slate roofs. Stepped red and grey brick chimneys with cogged capping. The west front is similar but 2 storey squarebays are added to gable ends and central porch with shaped gable. Gothic panelled
doors. Interior: Waterhouse type stair hall with stilted arch screen with
stop chamfered edges. 

Uplands, 

The Mount, Grade II

On corner with Christchurch Road. House for manager at Huntley and Palmer's Factory. Decorative features face approach from Christchurch. 1876. 2 storeys gault brick with yellow brick cill and lintel bands and patterning to squarecorner turret. Moulded brick modillion eaves cornice. Hipped slate roof with fish-scale bands and 2 brick chimneys with cogged capping. Stop-moulded stonelintels. Plate glass sash windows with bracket cills. 4 bays to road, angleturret to left, canted bay with turret roof to right. Centre projecting porch with pointed arch entrance and high parapet with moulded brick rosettes (reminiscent of Joseph Morris's work) and 2 order archway with label and chamfered side
piers with stone floral caps. Decorative panels to door with applied patternedlintel. Contemporary conservatory on ground floor on outer facet of turret,it has a hipped glazed roof, crested ridge and painted panes. Angled returnto west. Railings, standards retained. Interior altered.

Wantage Hall, 

Upper Redlamds Road, Grade II

Wantage Hall, 1908. Hall of residence at the University of Reading. Neo-Tudor design by Charles Steward Smith, architect, commissioned and endowed by Lady Wantage. Addition of New Court to the north in 1970, by Peter Ednie & Partners is not of special interest.

MATERIALS: Red brick in English Bond with stone dressings and tiled roofs.

PLAN: A quadrangle, known as 'Old Court': largely of two storeys but with an additional basement level in the northern half given the sloping site. Roof is largely double pitched with a central concealed valley. Main entrance gate through a three storey clock tower in the south elevation. Dining Hall range, housing student common room on the ground floor and the dining hall above, on the north side of the quadrangle. Student accommodation mainly in the west and east ranges over two floors. Warden's study and offices in the south-east corner, formerly the Principal's residence. Service rooms largely confined to basement level. Red brick 1970s addition, known as 'New Court', forms a further quadrangle to the north but is not of special interest.

EXTERIOR: Main façade to the south on Upper Redlands Road. Of two storeys under a pitched tiled roof with pairs of gabled bays at the south-west and south-east corners. Windows are leaded casements with stone surrounds and moulded drip-moulds; those to the ground floor are conjoined to form a narrow string course. Rainwater hoppers decorated with a 'W' for 'Wantage'. Central, three-storey crenellated clock tower, again in red brick with stone dressings: there are stone string courses between floors and gargoyle corbels to the machicolation. Polygonal stair towers at each corner. Handsome canted oriel window to the first floor. Entrance is through a large Tudor arched gateway in stone with carved spandrels; paired solid panelled gates. 

Similar features are employed in the quadrangle although it is more decorative. West and east ranges have a series of prominent projecting chimney stacks, with clustered pots, stone dressings and diaper work decoration, dividing up the elevations. Entrance bays have Flemish gables with carved stone coats of arms and banded diaper work detailing. Two-storey dining room range to the north dominates both given its axis opposite the entrance but also for its greater height: symmetrical range of three bays, all with gables, decorated with diaper work. Large mullion and transom windows with leaded lights and some coloured glass. Central bay has a decorative canted oriel with a Flemish gable topped with a carved stone finial. Foundation stone beneath this window. Carved sundial added to the oriel in the 1980s inscribed to the memory of Sydney Taylor. 

INTERIOR: Interiors differ dependent upon function with the principal spaces more decorative than the student accommodation, service accommodation or circulation spaces. Student accommodation is in small study bedrooms largely in the west and east ranges where they are arranged either side of a central corridor on the ground and first floors. Each has a fireplace (some now blocked) with a wooden mantle and original picture rails. Elongated doors to the student rooms are replicas of the originals given fire prevention requirements. Corridors and staircases have exposed red brick walls. Main staircase, leading up to the Dining Hall, has a solid brick balustrade topped with a moulded stone banister and terminating in a carved stone newel. Tudor arches with stone mouldings are also employed internally. Interiors of particular note are the former Principal's lodgings and the Dining Hall. The former contains stone fireplaces decorated with the shell motif of the University and original panelling. Present Warden's study, originally the parlour of the Principal's lodgings, retains its original fireplace which has a timber surround, decorative mantle, and glazed green tiles. Wallpaper in a green leaf design may be original Morris & Co. Most impressive Dining Hall with solid timber hammer-beam roof and attractive curved braces. Original wooden and metal chandeliers. Panelling to picture rail level and carved door surround. Windows with coloured glass shields and crests. Large open fireplace with stone Tudor surround and carved spandrels. Substantial decorative carved timber fire surround and overmantle including carved human heads, shells and a Latin inscription.

ANCILLARY FEATURES: Red brick walls and railings to Redlands Road and Upper Redlands Road. 

HISTORY: Although a School of Art was established at Reading in 1860 with a School of Science following in 1870, it was not until 1892 that Reading was founded as a University Extension College under the patronage of the University of Oxford. It became a University in its own right in 1926 by Royal Charter. Wantage Hall was built relatively early in the life of the university; it was designed in 1906 and opened in 1908. It is believed to have been the first purpose-built hall of residence built after the Oxford and Cambridge colleges. It was the gift of Harriet, Lady Wantage (1837-1920) a wealthy local benefactress. Lady and Baron Wantage owned Lockinge House, near Wantage, as well as considerable land holdings in Berkshire. They were artistic connoisseurs and patrons and were heavily involved with the British Red Cross Society. Lady Wantage was closely associated with her husband's work at Reading University College of which he was the first president and after his death in 1901 she was appointed vice-president and live governor. She donated nearly £150,000 to the University including the building and endowment of Wantage Hall as a men's hall of residence and £50,000 to an endowment fund in 1911. She was also a benefactor of the Royal Berkshire Hospital and was the first woman to receive the freedom of the Borough of Reading. Charles Steward Smith (1858-1923), who designed the building, was a local Reading based architect.

During the First World War Wantage Hall was used by the Royal Flying Corps School of Instruction, training instructors to, in turn, train the increasing numbers of RFC squadrons required. Classes were held in the building and practical training took place along Upper Redlands Road where old fuselages were suspended in the trees for this purpose. 

The hall of residence expanded in 1970 with additional accommodation provided by New Court, an extension added to the north of the original building (now known as 'Old Court'). New Court was designed by the architectural firm Peter Ednie & Partners but is not considered of special interest. 

Wantage Hall remains in use as a fully catered residential hall which accommodates approximately 245 students. 

SOURCES: Reading Standard 31 October 1908

REASON FOR DESIGNATION:
Wantage Hall was the first hall of residence at the University of Reading opening in 1908. It is designated for the following principal reasons:
* A handsome and intact hall of residence in a Tudor style with an interesting quadrangle plan-form, quality materials and detailing.
* A very early hall of residence which drew on the historic Oxbridge college tradition but was a pioneer of C20 university collegiate accommodation, and which was to become the model for subsequent university colleges and halls of residence. 

Whitley Villa

Christchurch Road, Grade II

Early C19. 2 storeys red brick with grey brick headers. Slate roof with brick end chimneys, gable ends treated with parapets between chimneys. 2 left hand bays original - glazing bar sashes, lengthened on 1st floor to left for balcony, marginal glazing. Wide segmental headed door surround with channelled quoins and reeded surround, radiating fanlight, 4 panel door. Mid-late C19 canted bay to right (this part plain red brick) with modern casements. Contemporary
staircase. Fleur-de-lys railings and gates.

History of Redlands  gratefully acknowledges English Heritage as the source of text  information  to the right for this page.

PICTURES OF SOME OF REDLANDS LISTED BUILDINGS

The Great Hall , London Road Campus.

The War Memorial, London Road Campus

Wantage Hall, Upper Redlands Road

The Chapel, Reading School