West Branch Library
West Branch Library, Oxford 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:
- 1302878
- Date first listed:
- 14-Dec-1978
- List Entry Name:
- West Branch Library
- Statutory Address:
- West Branch Library, Oxford Road
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Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2001-08-31
- Reference:
- IOE01/03950/20
- 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:
- 1302878
- Date first listed:
- 14-Dec-1978
- List Entry Name:
- West Branch Library
- Statutory Address 1:
- West Branch Library, Oxford 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:
- West Branch Library, Oxford 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 69618 73673
Details
SU 67 SE
16/543
Oxford Road (north side)
West Branch Library
II
1907 designed by F.W. Albury. A good example in "Wren-naissance" style. One 1/2 storeys. Red brick with Bath stone ashlar dressings, moulded plinth, modillion cornice and cope to parapet. Three bays each side or fabled porch break with paired glazing bar casement windows flanked by paired pilasters. Hipped tiled roof with two tripartite segmental dormers behind parapet. Wooden cupola with Doric peristyle and lead dome. Segmental headed entrance with concave surround. Gable over has three busts - Milton, Shakespeare and (possibly) Darwin.
Stone commemorative tablets on each side laid by Edward Jackson (mayor) and Dr Jameson Hurry (local antiquary) 16.x.1907. Lobby has marble commemorative plaques naming architect, donor Andrew Carnegie, G W Palmer (who opened it) and builders (T H Kingerlee and Sons).
Interior: top lit central hall with stained glass (The Abbey, Reading and University badges). Three rooms, side rooms have plaster barrel vault, and modillion cornice and dormers in ceiling. Glazed screen fronts desk to north room.
Listing NGR: SU6961873673
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 39111
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Websites
British Geological Survey, Strategic Stone Study, accessed 4 February 2020 from https://www.bgs.ac.uk/mineralsuk/buildingStones/StrategicStoneStudy/EH_atlases.html
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 24-Jun-2026 at 01:53:20.
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.