Summary
Terraced townhouses, now flats. Built in about the early C19 in neoclassical style with the south terraced house now forming numbers 62-64, rebuilt in the early C20. Further alterations in 2004 as part of a conversion to flats.
History
The first written record of Reading dates from the ninth century. Asser’s Life of Alfred (part of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle) records a battle at Reading in January 871 between the Danes and the forces of King Ethelred and his brother Alfred, who would go on to become Alfred the Great. Reading is described in this account as ‘Readingum’, likely derived from ‘Readingas’, an Anglo-Saxon tribe whose name means ‘Reada’s people’ in Old English. By the time of the Norman Conquest of 1066, Reading had become a town of notable size. After Reading Abbey was founded in 1121, the town grew substantially, spurring cloth production, the establishment of the new Market Place, and what would today be known as London Street, an extension to the High Street that facilitated trade to and from London. By 1525, the town’s thriving cloth industry led Reading to become the largest town in Berkshire. In 1542, Henry VIII’s royal charter made Reading a borough. John Speed’s map shows that by 1611, 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 in 1840, improvements to the navigability of the River Kennet, and the growth of the local brewing industry. London Street became a fashionable part of town, especially after High Bridge was constructed over the River Kennet in 1788. The survival of many fine Georgian and Victorian buildings along London Street testifies to its prosperity during this period.
62-66 London Street currently forms two terraced townhouses, latterly converted to flats. It previously comprised three separate buildings, with number 62 being the present, Bath Stone building that exists today (now renumbered number 66). To the south, numbers 64-66 were two separate, three-storey commercial buildings in the late C19, with the former selling boots, and the latter being a decorator. By 1930, numbers 64-66 had been rebuilt as a single red brick building. Together with number 62, they formed the Girls’ Friendly Society Hostel, which opened in the 1920s. By the late C20, the buildings had become offices, with an added slate mansard roof to number 62. The six-over-six sash windows of numbers 64-66 were replaced with two-over-two plate glass sashes in the late C20. In 2004, the offices were converted into flats and some changes were made to the rear elevation. The addresses also appear to have been changed at about this time; the Bath Stone building to the north becoming number 66, and the red brick building to the south becoming numbers 62-64. An internal inspection in 1978 revealed a deeply undercut palmette cornice in the front room of number 66.
Details
Terraced townhouses, now flats. Built in about the early C19 in neoclassical style with the south terraced house now forming numbers 62-64, rebuilt in the early C20. Further alterations in 2004 as part of a conversion to flats.
MATERIALS: the east, street-facing elevation of number 66 is of ashlar Bath Stone. Numbers 62-64 have an east elevation of red brick laid in stretcher bond with Bath Stone dressings. Rear elevations in red brick. Slate roof coverings.
PLAN: two former terraced houses, now converted to flats; numbers 62-64 is of four storeys and number 66 is of three storeys with an additional attic storey.
EXTERIORS: the red brick, street-facing east elevation of numbers 62-64 is five bays wide and four storeys high. The ground floor comprises, from left to right: the main entrance which has a four-panelled door and lattice-leaded transom light set within a heavy neoclassical doorcase; and then four bays of two-over-two plate glass sash windows with rubbed brick voussoirs. The doorcase has Doric pilasters supporting an entablature and moulded cornice. A lead string course separates the ground floor from that above. The following three storeys all have two-over-two sashes with rubbed brick voussoirs. There is a heavily moulded Bath Stone cornice and brick parapet.
The Bath Stone, street-facing east elevation of number 66 is four bays wide and three storeys high with an additional attic storey. The ground floor comprises, from left to right: a tall six-over-six sash window with narrow glazing bays; the main entrance which has a six-panelled door and transom light set within a heavy neoclassical doorcase; and then two bays of six-over-six sash windows. The doorcase has Doric pilasters supporting an entablature and moulded cornice. A stone band course separates the ground floor from that above and provides the cills for the first-floor windows. The first floor has tall six-over-six sashes set into architraves with entablatures, whilst the second floor has squat three-over-six sashes set into architraves but without entablatures. Above the second floor is an entablature, heavy moulded cornice and stone parapet with a stone coping. There is a slate-covered mansard roof with three-over-six sash dormer windows to the attic.
Numbers 62 to 66 are united under a single elevation, built of stretcher-bond red brick, at the rear. All bays of fenestration contain uPVC top-hung windows topped by brick lintels.
