Summary
Former townhouse, now flats. Built in about the mid-C18 and extended with three additional bays to the north in the late C18 or early C19.
Reasons for Designation
74 and 76 London Street is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* as a mid-C18 townhouse 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. Asser’s Life of Alfred (part of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles) 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.
The principal, five-bay range of 74 and 76 London Street was constructed in the mid-C18. The two-storey, three-bay range to the north appears to be a later-C18 or early C19 extension. By the late C19, number 74 was a surgery, while number 76 was a private dwelling. The carriage entrance in the northernmost bay appears to have been remodelled (or inserted) during the C20, with a steel lintel over the London Street entrance. Historically there was an expansive garden to the rear but the carriage entrance now provides access to a private car park flanked by further residential buildings. By 2000, 74 and 76 London Street had been combined internally as offices. However, in around 2009, the building was converted to private flats.
Details
Former townhouse, now flats. Built in about the mid-C18 and extended with three additional bays to the north in about the late C18 or early C19.
MATERIALS: the main street-facing, east elevation is of red brick laid in Flemish bond, painted white to the basement. The rear elevation is of grey brick with red brick dressings. There is a plain tiled mansard roof to the front and a gabled slate roof to the rear, whilst the later extensions have red two clay tiled gabled roofs.
PLAN: a rectangular plan, two-storey townhouse with basement and attic, and a later two-storey extension.
EXTERIOR: the east elevation of the mid-C18 townhouse, facing the main street, is a five-bay symmetrical composition. It comprises a central pedimented doorway flanked by sash windows, with a further five sashes to the first floor, and a mansard roof with three dormer windows. The central entrance doorway is approached by stone steps and contains a six-panelled door with a transom light. It is surrounded by a substantial doorcase that has moulded pilasters resting on pedestals, which support a frieze and heavily moulded segmental pediment. There are two six-over-six sash windows on each side of the entrance with narrow glazing bars, rubbed brick voussoirs and stone cills. The first floor has matching six-over-six sashes beneath a heavily moulded cornice and brick parapet. Set behind the parapet is a plain-tiled mansard roof containing squat six-over-six sash dormer windows. Two red brick chimney stacks with clay chimney pots rise above each end of the roof. There are sash windows to the basement and iron railings to the front of the property. The late C18 or early C19 north extension is three bays wide and lower in height. The ground floor has a carriage arch in the northernmost bay and two sash windows, whilst there are a further three sashes to the first floor beneath a heavily moulded cornice. All of the windows are six-over-six sashes with narrow glazing bars, rubbed brick voussoirs and stone cills. Set behind the cornice are two red clay-tiled gabled roofs.
The rear elevation of the main townhouse range is an irregular three-bay composition built of grey brick with red brick dressings. The ground floor comprises, from left to right: a six-over-six sash window, a pedimented doorway and a tripartite sash window. The doorway is approached by stone steps flanked by railings and contains a half-glazed panelled door set within a doorcase with consoles supporting the moulded triangular pediment. At first floor level, there comprises, from left to right: a six-over-six sash, a low set six-over-six sash, and a tripartite sash window. The central sash is set below earlier red brick jambs indicating that it has been lowered at a later date. There is a gabled slate-covered roof containing three squat six-over-six sash dormer windows and a roof light. All of the sashes to this elevation have exposed sash boxes. The adjoining north extension is built of the same materials and is two bays wide to this rear elevation. At ground floor level it has the carriage arch and a half-glazed doorway with a side light, whilst to the first floor there is a six-over-six and eight-over-eight sash window. The sash boxes to the extension are set behind the brickwork.
