Old Reading Room
OLD READING ROOM, THE ESPLANADE
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1380995
- Date first listed:
- 13-Oct-1952
- List Entry Name:
- Old Reading Room
- Statutory Address:
- OLD READING ROOM, THE ESPLANADE
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2001-02-20
- Reference:
- IOE01/02917/24
- Rights:
- © Robert E Priest. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1380995
- Date first listed:
- 13-Oct-1952
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 26-Aug-1999
- List Entry Name:
- Old Reading Room
- Statutory Address 1:
- OLD READING ROOM, THE ESPLANADE
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:
- OLD READING ROOM, THE ESPLANADE
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- The City of Brighton and Hove (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- TQ3313003421
Details
TQ3303SW
577-1/55/899
13/10/52
BRIGHTON
THE ESPLANADE, Kemp Town
(South side)
Old Reading Room
(Formerly Listed as:
THE ESPLANADE, KEMP TOWN
Building below Tunnel Entrance formerly the Old Reading Room)
GV
II
Reading room, adapted for committee meetings. 1835. Designed
by William Kendall, the architect who laid out Madeira Drive
and Esplanade as well as Esplanade Cottages and The Temple
(qv). Stucco.
5-bay range. Subordered, round-arched tunnel entrance is
framed by rusticated piers and panelled blocks; architraves to
opening; chamfered jambs; spandrel panels recessed. This
opening, which goes under the roadway to emerge between
Esplanade Cottages on the other side, is set in the centre of
a 5-bay pilastrade of the Tuscan order; continuous entablature
with dentil cornice above. Each of the side bays is subordered
by a pair of smaller Tuscan pilasters supporting an
entablature; within each side bay is a round-arched opening,
now blocked, with architraves and projecting sills; plain dado
below.
INTERIOR: not inspected.
Forms part of a group with the Tunnel entrance, Esplanade
Cottages and The Temple (qv).
Kemp Town constitutes a most important group and consists of
Arundel Terrace, Chichester Terrace, Lewes Crescent, Sussex
Square and related buildings.
Forms part of a group with Esplanade Cottages, Tunnel entrance
and The Temple (qv).
(Carder T: The Encyclopaedia of Brighton: Lewes: 1990-: 81).
Listing NGR: TQ3313003421
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 481338
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Carder, T, Encyclopaedia of Brighton, (1990), 81
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 19-Jul-2026 at 23:08:21.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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