Summary
99 London Street, a house constructed in the late C18, with C20 alterations including the insertion of a shopfront.
Reasons for Designation
99 London Street is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* as a late-C18 building which contributes to the character of an architecturally varied historic streetscape.
Historic interest:
* as part of the urban development of Reading’s ancient core.
Group value:
* the building is in close proximity to a large number of listed buildings and forms part of a strong historic grouping.
History
The first written record of Reading dates from the ninth century when the name seems to have referred to a tribe, called Reada’s people. It is possible that there was a river port here during the Roman occupation, and by 1086 Reading had grown into a town, recorded in the Domesday Book. The early Anglo-Saxon settlement is believed to have been located in the Castle Street and St Mary’s area, which has St Mary’s Minster at its heart.
After Reading Abbey was founded in 1121, the town grew substantially as a place of pilgrimage as well as an important ecclesiastical and trading centre, with cloth production as the principal industry. Reading’s increasing prosperity saw the establishment of the new Market Place (drawing trade away from the old marketplace at St Mary’s Butts), and of what is today known as London Street, an extension to the High Street, which facilitated trade to and from London. By 1525, Reading had become the largest town in Berkshire. Following its dissolution in 1539, Reading Abbey became a royal palace. The cloth and leather trades continued to flourish and by 1611 the town’s population had grown to over 5,000. John Speed’s map shows that by that year, both sides of London Street had been developed with continuous frontages for a considerable distance southward, beyond the modern junction with Crown Street/London Road. Several buildings which predate Speed’s map survive on London Street, some concealed behind later brick façades.
Following significant upheaval during the Civil War, the town flourished during the C18 and C19. Several developments during this period spurred further growth and prosperity, including the arrival of the Great Western Railway, improvements to the navigability of the River Kennet, and the expansion of the local brewing industry. The survival of many fine Georgian and Victorian buildings along London Street testifies to its prosperity during this period.
99 London Street was constructed in the late C18, probably re-fronting or partially incorporating an existing building. By 1853, the building had a series of rear extensions to the east that backed onto a long, narrow garden. To the south of the building was a covered through passage giving access to the rear from London Street. The shopfront on its street-facing, west elevation was added in the later C20. Also during this period, the building’s rear extensions are thought to have been cleared away and replaced with the present structures. The building has been in use as offices since the early C21.
Details
House, constructed in the late C18, with C20 alterations including the insertion of a shopfront.
MATERIALS: the principal frontage is rendered. The pitched roof is covered with plain tiles.
PLAN: the main historic range is rectangular on plan with its front elevation facing London Street to the west.
EXTERIOR: the building is arranged over three storeys, with a shopfront at ground-floor level, and two windows to both first- and second-floor levels. The shopfront consists of two fixed multi-pane windows. To the south are two doorways, both containing late-C20/early-C21 doors; the narrower, southernmost door presumably formerly gave access to the southern passage. On the floors above, the windows are set in painted raised eared surrounds. The first-floor openings are larger, but on both floors the openings contain six-over-six sash frames. The second-floor architraves connect with a moulded cornice and blocking course.
