Bricks and Brickwork in Reading

Reading is famous for its varied, colourful and intricately patterned brickwork. Illustrated throughout with local photographs, Bricks and Brickwork in Reading gets back to basics with bonding, tells the story of a successful Victorian brick maker, pays homage to Alfred Waterhouse and revels in the delights of air bricks and crinkle-crankle walls. Brick features prominently in the towns of the Thames Valley, because the local geology provides little good building stone. Reading is particularly rewarding for the brick-fancier, thanks to the variety of colours available and the inventive patterns that Victorian bricklayers loved to make. Illustrated throughout with photographs of surviving examples, Reading Bricks and Brickwork revels in the delights of air bricks and crinkle-crankle walls, gets back to basics with bonding, tells the 100-year story of a successful Victorian brick maker and pays homage to Alfred Waterhouse. A walking tour gives the reader the opportunity to see the more notable examples of Reading's brickwork for themselves.