Broad Street Independent Chapel, Reading
Encyclopedia
Broad Street Independent Chapel is a former nonconformist chapel
dating from 1707. It is situated in Broad Street
, now the principal shopping street of the English
town of Reading
. The building has been sympathetically reused as a branch of the Waterstone's
chain of bookshops. The building is a Grade II listed building.
The main building was built in 1707 and is set back from Broad Street. The interior is roughly square with encircling galleries, and a domed ceiling with modillion cornice
. Later additions were made to the side and rear of the original building. In 1892 a separate frontage building was built along the building line of Broad Street, with an arch surmounted by a tower, itself capped by octagonal turret, and flanked by two shops.
Waterstone's now occupies both the chapel building and most of the frontage building (one shop unit being independently occupied). The frontage building has been linked to the main chapel by a lightweight modern glass-roofed conservatory. The galleries of the main chapel now form part of the shop, with a sweeping staircase in the centre linking the two floors.
Details of baptisms and marriages at the church between 1720 and 1837 are available on the International Genealogical Index produced by the LDS Church. William Blackall Simonds
, the founder of Simond's Brewery and J & C Simonds bank, was baptised at the chapel on 13 August 1761.
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
dating from 1707. It is situated in Broad Street
Broad Street, Reading
Broad Street is a main pedestrianised thoroughfare and the primary high street in the English town of Reading. The street is situated in the town centre, running for approximately , from west to east. The western end of the road lies at the crossroads with Oxford Road, West Street and St Mary's...
, now the principal shopping street of the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
town of Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
. The building has been sympathetically reused as a branch of the Waterstone's
Waterstone's
Waterstone's is a British book specialist established in 1982 by Tim Waterstone that employs around 4,500 staff throughout the United Kingdom and Europe....
chain of bookshops. The building is a Grade II listed building.
The main building was built in 1707 and is set back from Broad Street. The interior is roughly square with encircling galleries, and a domed ceiling with modillion cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
. Later additions were made to the side and rear of the original building. In 1892 a separate frontage building was built along the building line of Broad Street, with an arch surmounted by a tower, itself capped by octagonal turret, and flanked by two shops.
Waterstone's now occupies both the chapel building and most of the frontage building (one shop unit being independently occupied). The frontage building has been linked to the main chapel by a lightweight modern glass-roofed conservatory. The galleries of the main chapel now form part of the shop, with a sweeping staircase in the centre linking the two floors.
Details of baptisms and marriages at the church between 1720 and 1837 are available on the International Genealogical Index produced by the LDS Church. William Blackall Simonds
William Blackall Simonds
William Blackall Simonds was a brewer and banker in the English town of Reading. He founded both Simonds' Brewery, a component of today's Scottish & Newcastle brewery business, and J & C Simonds Bank, one of the precursors to Barclays bank....
, the founder of Simond's Brewery and J & C Simonds bank, was baptised at the chapel on 13 August 1761.