Main Building at Reading School
MAIN BUILDING AT READING SCHOOL, ERLEIGH ROAD
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1155155
- Date first listed:
- 19-Mar-1975
- List Entry Name:
- Main Building at Reading School
- Statutory Address:
- MAIN BUILDING AT READING SCHOOL, ERLEIGH ROAD
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1155155
- Date first listed:
- 19-Mar-1975
- List Entry Name:
- Main Building at Reading School
- Statutory Address 1:
- MAIN BUILDING AT READING SCHOOL, ERLEIGH ROAD
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:
- MAIN BUILDING AT READING SCHOOL, ERLEIGH ROAD
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 72757 72673
Details
ERlEIGH ROAD 1. 5128 Main building at Reading School SU 7272 9/477 19.3.75. II 2. 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.
Listing NGR: SU7275772673
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 38922
- Legacy System:
- LBS
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 25-Jun-2026 at 08:26:02.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.