The Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, Berkshire. Architects: Henry Briant assisted by his brother Nathanial. 1839. Queen Victoria was its first patron. Henry Briant later gave up architecture and took up Holy Orders. Click on images to enlarge them.
According to Historic England website, "Main block 1839 by local architect and builder Henry Briant (who won the competition for designing the hospital). As King William IV took such a keen interest in the hospital before it was built, his Arms, not Queen Victoria's appear on the central pediment. Two storeys and basement. Bath stone - very large ashlar blocks used to front. Slate roofs. eleven bays with seven bay central break projecting pedimented hexastyle Ionic portico. Glazing bar sash windows. Corner piers. Channelled basement. Astragal to moulded cornice (dentil cornice to portico) and parapet. Recessed side entrance bays. Wide steps to portico with excellent contemporary lamp tripods with guilloche ornament."
Image courtesy of the Royal Berkshire Hospital Medical Museum.
Last modified 25 March 2020/p>