Simeon Monument

Sir John Soane and Reading | Reading Museum | Many of you may have been out and about this weekend exploring Reading during the annual Heritage Open Days. One of Reading’s most historical gems is the Simeon monument in the Market Place – an elegant Portland stone obelisk with lamps. This monument was commissioned in 1804 by Edward Simeon, a successful London merchant and director of the Bank of England, but he maintained links with Reading where he married and was eventually buried. Its designer is even more famous as the architect of the Bank of England - Sir John Soane. Simeon's gift was regarded by some as vote catching for his brother, John, who had been MP for Reading and was trying to win the seat again. A letter in the Reading Mercury said the gift was ‘an attempt to bias the heads of the Borough in his favour by setting up in the market-place a paltry gewgaw thing without use or name’. In fact the monument was commissioned to improve the lighting of Reading’s Market Place and also forced wagon drivers to take a more regular line across the market.