Nos 154 to 160 (Even) And Railings to Street
NOS 154 TO 160 (EVEN) AND RAILINGS TO STREET, 154-160, CASTLE STREET
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1113431
- Date first listed:
- 22-Mar-1957
- List Entry Name:
- Nos 154 to 160 (Even) And Railings to Street
- Statutory Address:
- NOS 154 TO 160 (EVEN) AND RAILINGS TO STREET, 154-160, CASTLE STREET
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Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2001-05-26
- Reference:
- IOE01/03926/25
- Rights:
- © Ms Pamela Jackson. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1113431
- Date first listed:
- 22-Mar-1957
- List Entry Name:
- Nos 154 to 160 (Even) And Railings to Street
- Statutory Address 1:
- NOS 154 TO 160 (EVEN) AND RAILINGS TO STREET, 154-160, CASTLE STREET
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- NOS 154 TO 160 (EVEN) AND RAILINGS TO STREET, 154-160, CASTLE STREET
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Reading (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- SU 70859 73015
Details
CASTLE STREET 1. 5128 (North Side) Castle Hill Nos 154 to 160 (even) and railings to street SU 7073 12/41 SU 7072 13/41 22.3.57. II* GV 2. Former King's Arms Inn. A group of buildings with C18 fronts on 3 sides of a court. 2 storey centre block, stucco with moulded cornice, parapet and mansard slate roof with brick chimneys. 2 fluted conical lead rainwater heads. 11 windows on 1st floor, 6 on ground floor, glazing bar sashes mostly. 2 doors with small Doric porches (No 156: columns replaced by plain uprights). 6 panel doors. No 156 now half-glazed. No 158, upper 2 panels glazed. A further side door to left with trellis porch. Left hand wing (No 160): 2 storeys and attic. Stucco. Old tile roof, partly mansard. End facing street has 2 storey bow with 3 cross glazed sash windows and balcony to terrace in front of attic window. Arched door to right with fanlight and reeded pilaster surround. Right hand wing (no 154): Similar to No 160 (a later addition however) of colour- washed brick with stone balustrade at 2nd floor level. Tarred tile hipped mansard roof. Plate glass sash windows. Entered from left hand in tented triangular headed porch. C18 spearhead rails with urns on standards facing street, the gates have braced upper rail, dog-rails and box-panels standards. Interior of No 154: late C18 staircase, the 1st floor bow window room is circa 1790s, has marble fireplace surround, some good cornices and fine doorcases with Adam-type friezes. Interior of No 158 very interesting with a good coved ceiling and panelled room on the 1st floor and an C18 stair with turned balusters and straight string. The building was an 'L' block (Nos 158 and 160) in 1734 and had developed by 1796, when it was occupied by 200 exiled French priests quartered in Reading, (1) into its present plan with covered colonnades to north and west sides of the court, the west side with a corridor above the colonnade. (1) (Sources: Catholic Record Society Vol LXXXVI (1932)).
Listing NGR: SU7086273016
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 38831
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Catholic Record Society Annual Report in Catholic Record Society Annual Report, Vol. 86, (1932)
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 01-Jul-2026 at 01:55:41.
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