Search results for ""Author Adam Sowan""
Two Rivers Press A Mark of Affection: The Soane Obelisk in Reading
In the centre of Reading, stands a prominent stone obelisk supporting three bright lamps. It was built in 1804 at the expense of Edward Simeon, a director of the Bank of England, and designed by the great locally-born architect John Soane. It caused controversy and attracted criticism at first, and stood neglected and unlit in scruffy surroundings for many years, but after a full restoration it once again stands proudly and usefully in a worthy setting. Adam Sowan’s fifth local book traces the origins of the obelisk, the development of its design, and changes to its structure and surroundings over the last 200 years. It also chronicles Soane’s other Reading projects – some mooted, some built, some demolished and some mythical. The architect’s own drawings are complemented by newspaper photographs from the 19th and 20th centuries.
£6.41
Two Rivers Press All Change at Reading: The Railway and the Station
Isambard Kingdom Brunel gave Reading an inconvenient station with but a single platform; after four major rebuilds it now has 15. This book documents 175 years of growth; the proliferation of branches and connections; the 'railway mania' of the 1840s; the 'battle of the gauges'; competition between the Great Western, South Western and South Eastern lines; increasing speeds; and the current transformation to a safe, flexible and efficient interchange. It looks forward to electrification and the possibility of through trains to Heathrow, the City, Essex, North Kent, and even mainland Europe.
£10.00
Two Rivers Press The Reading Quiz Book
How well do you know Reading? This witty and entertaining book will test your knowledge and develop your acquaintance with the hidden corners, the events and incidents of this much-maligned town. 110 questions, including 20 photos of places to identify.
£8.99
Two Rivers Press Bricks and Brickwork in Reading: Patterns and polychromy
The geology of the Thames Valley provides little good building stone, so the towns are made very largely of local brick. 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, Bricks and Brickwork in Reading gets back to basics with bonding, tells the 100-year story of a successful Victorian brick maker, pays homage to Alfred Waterhouse and revels in the delights of air bricks and crinkle-crankle walls. A walking tour gives the reader the opportunity to see the more notable examples of Reading's brickwork for themselves.
£15.99
