New West End Synagogue, London

The New West End Synagogue stands in St Petersburgh Place, Bayswater, in the City of Westminster. It is an Orthodox Jewish congregation housed in a Grade I listed building. Completed in 1879, the synagogue is one of the oldest in continuous use in the United Kingdom. Its architecture blends Islamic, Japanese, Gothic Revival, Saracenic and Classical Revival styles. The building was designed by George Audsley and Nathan S. Joseph, with the foundation stone laid by Leopold de Rothschild. The synagogue has played a notable role in Jewish religious and cultural life. Its first rabbi, Simeon Singer, produced the Authorised Daily Prayer Book still used in Orthodox synagogues. Rabbi Louis Jacobs, once associated with the synagogue, later founded the Masorti movement. The choir, Mosaic Voices, founded by Michael Etherton, performs works spanning four centuries. The building also contains a splendid Torah ark designed by Joseph, resembling his work for Glasgow’s Garnethill Synagogue. Inside, the synagogue seats 800 people beneath its ornate interior. The Torah ark rises on circular marble steps and projects into the room in a domed and arched form. The walls and ceilings feature intricate ornamentation drawn from multiple historical styles. The building’s craftsmanship reflects the Audsleys’ interest in historical design and their broader architectural output. Visitors find a quiet space for prayer and reflection, framed by architectural grandeur.