Lauderdale Road Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue - Lauderdale Road, London, UK - This Old Church on Waymarking.com

The Lauderdale Road Spanish & Portuguese Synagogue is a religious building close to Maida Vale (Lauderdale Road) in the West End of London. Like other Sephardi synagogues in London and Manchester, it maintains close links with the ‘mother’ congregation and some accept its ecclesiastical authority. Lauderdale Road Synagogue was opened in 1896 to accommodate the drift of Spanish and Portuguese members from Bevis Marks to West London (it was a successor to the Sephardi synagogue in Bryanston Street, near Marble Arch).

The synagogue building itself was constructed in the Byzantine style by architects Davis & Emanuel. It has a large domed ceiling, huge stained glass windows set in arched recesses, tapestry carpets across the polished wooden floors, as well as a large ark.

Built 1896, by Davis and Emanuel. Red brick with Portland stone banding to lower stage and dressings; slate roof with central copper roofed dome.

Centralised plan with entrance hall to front. Byzantine style. 3-bay front dominated by square piers with ogee-capped octagonal turrets flanking central semi-circular arch over rose window and two semi-circular arched doorways; upper stages of outer bays have square piers linked by continuous moulded stone cornice over 5-light square-headed windows with moulded stone capitals to piers; recessed foiled panels to parapet. Side elevations each have similar outer bays and turretted piers flanking gabled central bay with 3 graduated semi-circular arched windows over square-headed ground floor windows; small rose window to rear; central dome has round-arched windows to drum and is surmounted by cupola with ball finial.

Interior: segmental-vaulted entrance hall with wreathed handrails and decorative wrought-iron balustrade to open-well staircases in outer bays.

Synagogue interior has dome set on semi-circular arches and scagliola columns with richly-carved Byzantine/Romanesque cushion capitals to decorative balcony fronts and upper stages. Semi-circular arched recess to fine inlaid wood ark in 'Moorish' style with gilt domes and panelled doors framed by 3 semi-circular decorative arches set on grouped square piers with similar cushion capitals and foliate spandrels with Stars of David to tall central arch.

Central bimah with panelled and balustraded enclosure surmounted by wrought-iron candelabra.

Good stained glass.