London Cries & Public Edifices - free ebook by John Leighton

LONDON CRIES & Public Edifices

by LVKE LIMNER ESQ GRANT AND GRIFFITH. SUCCESSORS TO NEWBERY AND HARRIS 1 CORNER OF SAINT PAUL’S CHURCH-YARD, LONDON. 1851. ...

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POTS AND KETTLES TO MEND!—COPPER OR BRASS TO MEND!

The Tinker is swinging his fire-pot to make it burn, having placed his soldering-iron in it, and is proceeding to some corner or post, there to repair the saucepan he carries.—We commence with the most interesting edifice in our capital,...

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THE TOWER OF LONDON;

the fortress, the palace, and prison, in which so many events, connected with the history of our country, have transpired. The building with four towers in the centre is said to have been erected by William the Conqueror, and is the oldest part of the fortress. The small bell-tower in the front of our picture is that of the church of St. Peter’s, (the tower being a parish itself,) on the Tower Green, erected in the reign of Edward I. Our view is taken from Tower Hill, near which was the scaffold

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THE EAST INDIA HOUSE

is situated in Leadenhall Street: it was built in 1726, and afterwards enlarged, in 1798, by Mr. Jupp, who erected the present front, the pediment of which, by Bacon, exhibits an allegory of the Company, under the protection of George III.: on the apex is a statue of Britannia; on the right hand is a figure of Asia, and on the left one of Europe. Here is conducted all the official business relating to the Company, which now rules a population of 85,000,000 natives of India, besides 51,000,000 wh

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BANK OF ENGLAND.

This great national establishment was erected in 1788 by Sir John Soane: it covers about eight acres of ground, and consists of nine open courts, almost all the rooms being on the ground-floor, lighted from above, beneath which are very extensive cellars, used for the deposit of bullion. This building is raised on the course of the ancient stream of Wall-Brook. In the Pay-Hall, where the notes are issued and exchanged, is a marble statue of William III., founder of the Bank, by Cheere. The Court

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ROYAL EXCHANGE.

The merchants used, in olden times, to meet in Lombard Street, until Sir Thomas Gresham built the first edifice here, in 1567, from the designs of Henrick, a Fleming, who, it is said, made constant journeys from London to Flanders, to obtain materials and workmen. All the stone, slate, iron, wainscot, and glass, came from Antwerp; so that the first Exchange might be considered a Dutch building. This pile was burnt down at the Fire of London, in 1666, and a second Exchange was built on the old si

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THE MANSION-HOUSE

is the official residence of the Lord Mayor of London during his mayoralty; it is situated at the west end of Cornhill, in Mansion-House Street. When it was first resolved, by the Common Council, to build the Mansion-House, Lord Burlington sent a design of Palladio, for their approbation and adoption. The first question in court was, not as to the applicability of the plan, but as to whether Palladio was a freeman of the city or no. Some discussion ensued, and a member rose, stating it little ma

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THE OLD COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS, WARWICK LANE,

was erected in 1674, from designs by Sir Christopher Wren, and consists of a quadrangular court. The room over the gateway, surmounted by a cupola and crowned with a ball, was the Lecture Theatre. In the court-yard, which has been roofed in, and is now used as a butchers’ market, are statues of Charles II. and Sir J. Cutler. The building is now occupied by a coppersmith. Warwick Lane is chiefly tenanted by slaughtermen and carcase-butchers, being near to Newgate Market. Our view is taken from Pa

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SMITHFIELD;

which is the only cattle market in London. It was formerly situated just without the city walls. It has been used as a cattle market since 1150, and was then, as we have stated, in the fields, but is now in the very heart of London. Our view was taken on Friday afternoon, during the horse market. Hay and straw are sold here on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. In the background may be seen the tower of the church of St. Bartholomew the Less, and the entrance to Bartholomew’s Hospital: the pre

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ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL,

for a nearer view of which we turn to the title-page. It was built by Sir Christopher Wren, on the site of the former, (burnt in the great fire,) and cost £736,000: it took thirty-five years building, the expenses of which were raised by a duty on coals. The costume of the Dustman bears a strong resemblance to that of the coalheaver, who appears to be of the same family, probably through their both being connected with the same material, the one before it is burnt, the other after. They formerly

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ST. JOHN’S GATE, CLERKENWELL.

This building is the only relic of that once powerful military order of monks, St. John of Jerusalem. The priory was established about 1100, but it was forty years after this that they became a military order, and the noblest of the time sought admission into its ranks. In the thirteenth century they were said to possess thirteen thousand manors, in various Christian lands. The house was suppressed by Henry VIII., who used it as a military storehouse. In the reign of James I. the gate was given

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TEMPLE BAR,

which is the only remaining city gate. It was built in 1670, by Sir Christopher Wren, after the great fire. On this, the city side, are statues of James and Anne of Denmark; on the other are Charles I. and II. The gate is now only closed on such occasions as the Queen going in state to the city, when she is not admitted until the pursuivant has knocked and permission been granted by the Lord Mayor. On the top of this gate were formerly exhibited the heads of traitors: the last exposed here were

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SOMERSET HOUSE.

On this site formerly stood Somerset Palace, built by Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, about 1549. The present building was begun in 1774, after a design by Sir W. Chambers. The Strand front is one hundred and thirty feet long, has a rustic basement supporting Corinthian columns, and is crowned in the centre with an attic, surmounted by a group consisting of the arms of Britain supported by the genius of England and Fame. Nine large arches compose the basement, three of which open into the cour

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COVENT-GARDEN MARKET.

The ground on which this market stands belonged to the Abbots of Westminster, and was called Convent Garden. On the destruction of the monasteries it was given to the Duke of Somerset; and, after his misfortunes, was granted to the Earl of Bedford, in 1552, who let it for building, and Inigo Jones designed the piazza, a portion of which occupies the north and part of the east sides. The origin of the market was casual. Persons came here, and stood in the centre of the square, until it grew to th

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THE COSTARD-MONGER

(so called from an apple of that name) is an itinerant vendor of garden stuff. He mostly transports his vegetable wares in a cart drawn by a donkey. His cry varies with the seasons and their produce: at one time we have “Cabbage plants,” “New potatoes,” or “Asparagus;” at another, “Fine young peas, fresh gathered,” “Ripe rhubarb,” “Baking or boiling apples:” he is now calling “Gooseberries! fourpence an ale-house quart, gooseberries!” In the background is a seller of...

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HEARTHSTONES AND FLANDERS BRICK.

Punch’s opera is proceeding along Bow Street with dog Toby in the rear, from whose petty stage we turn to one of the largest in the metropolis,...

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COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

The former theatre was burnt down, Sept. 20, 1808, and the present one erected on its site, at a cost of £150,000, by R. Smirke, R.A., who has taken as his model the temple of Minerva at Athens, and the first stone was laid in September, 1809, by George IV., then Prince of Wales. It was built with great rapidity, having been completed in less than a year after the destruction of the former building. Along the front are basso-relievos representing the ancient and modern drama; and in niches at ei

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TRAFALGAR SQUARE

is an open space, bounded on the north by the National Gallery of Pictures and the Royal Academy of Arts, on the east by St. Martin’s Church, south by Northumberland House and Charing Cross, and on the west by the new College of Physicians: in the centre is the Nelson column; on either side are fountains. The National Gallery was built in 1837, by Sir W. Wilkins. St. Martin’s Church was erected in 1722, by Gibbs: Nell Gwyn, who was buried here, left a weekly entertainment to the bell-ringers, wh

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CHARING CROSS.

So named, from a cross erected there by Edward I., to commemorate his affection for his beloved queen, Eleanor. The cross marked the last resting-place of the body on its way to Westminster: the exact spot is now occupied by the equestrian statue of Charles I.; it is in bronze, and was executed by Le Sœur, in 1633, for the Earl of Arundel....

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NORTHUMBERLAND HOUSE,

the town residence of the Duke of Northumberland, forms one side of Trafalgar Square. It was built by Henry Howard, Earl of Northampton, in whose time it was called Northampton House. In 1643 it fell to Algernon Earl of Northumberland, by marriage; since then it has been called Northumberland House. The only part seen from the street is the screen, which was repaired about 1752, but supposed to have been built in the reign of Edward VI. On the top is a lion passant. A spacious court intervenes b

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WHITEHALL,

opposite the Banqueting House. It was begun in 1619, from designs by Inigo Jones, and is only part of a vast plan left unfinished by reason of the troubled times. Here was executed King Charles I. He passed to the scaffold through the north-end wall (to the left of the picture). George I. converted it into a Chapel Royal, for which it is now used: the ceiling was painted by Rubens, in 1629; the subject is the Apotheosis of James I., for which he received £3000. In the square behind is a bronze s

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STRAWBERRIES,

from Battersea and Fulham, where they are grown in large quantities, and sent to Covent-Garden Market, from whence the London dealer purchases them in large baskets (called rounds), containing many pottles....

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BURLINGTON HOUSE.

We have given the entrance gateway, for no other part of this splendid mansion can be seen from the street. This house was built by Richard Boyle, third Earl of Burlington, (who is said to have erected it there because he was certain no one would build beyond him,) from his own designs, assisted by Kent, who was his intimate friend and companion. It is very large, has a stone front, and a circular Doric colonnade joins the wings. Here were deposited those exquisite specimens of Grecian art, the

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ST. GEORGE’S, HANOVER SQUARE.

This church was one of fifty, erected by act of Parliament in 1724. John James was the architect. The first stone was laid by General Stewart, with the following ceremony:—Having made a libation of wine, he pronounced these words: “The Lord God of heaven preserve the church of St. George!” It is dedicated to St. George the Martyr, in honour of George I. The subject of the altar-piece is the Last Supper, attributed to Sir James Thornhill. This church is remarkable for the number of fashionable ma

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OLD CLOTHES!

“ Clo! Clo!! ” This is the abbreviated cry of the old clothesman, when going his rounds. The trade is mostly conducted by Jews, who take the morning purchases to Rosemary Lane, (commonly called Rag Fair,) near Tower Hill, where they dispose of them to dealers, who patch, mend, and sell again to the public. Our Jew, judging from his beard and band round his waist, is some dignitary of the synagogue; he has just made a purchase of an old court suit at...

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ST. JAMES’S PALACE.

It is a plain brick building, and was erected by Henry VIII. in 1551. Queen Anne was the first to hold her court here, since which time it has been uniformly used for that purpose. Here is the Chapel Royal, in which our present Queen was married to Prince Albert: it is used only for purposes of state. King Charles I. passed the last eleven days of his life here, during his trial. A great portion of the south-eastern corner was destroyed by fire, in 1809. Of dealers in milk there are two classes,

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WESTMINSTER ABBEY.

The present church was erected by Henry III. and his successors; the western towers are by Sir Christopher Wren. Behind the altar is the chapel of Edward the Confessor, in which is kept the coronation chair: adjoining is the chapel of Henry V. Around these chapels are nine others, dedicated to various saints. Next to the eastern end of the church stands the chapel of Henry VII. The first stone was laid in Feb., 1503, by Abbot Islop; the building cost £14,000, an enormous sum for the period. It w

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LAMBETH PALACE,

which is the principal residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury. It is a very extensive and irregular pile, the principal part of which was built since the thirteenth century, the oldest part being the chapel. The great hall was erected by Archbishop Juxon, about 1600. The gate seen in the picture was built by Cardinal Morton in 1490, in front of which, to this day, is distributed the bishop’s dole, or alms, to thirty poor parishioners of Lambeth, ten of whom are served each day; among them are

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BUY A MAT!—BUY A DOOR OR PARLOUR MAT!

They are manufactured of different materials: rope and rush mats for hall-doors. Parlour and carriage mats are made of sheep-skins, with the wool on, dyed of various hues....

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NEW HALL, LINCOLN’S INN,

is situated on the eastern side of Lincoln’s Inn Fields: it is of Tudor architecture, designed by Philip Hardwick, R.A., and consists of an extensive dining-hall, spacious library, and benchers’ drawingroom. It was opened Oct. 30, 1845, by the Queen, accompanied by his Royal Highness Prince Albert. Lincoln’s Inn is one of the principal inns of court. This trade was, until of late, performed by small boys, who used to climb up chimneys, brushing away the soot as they went, until they arrived at t

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THE FOUNDLING HOSPITAL.

Its name indicates its use. It is a plain brick edifice, with a chapel in the centre, founded, about the year 1722, by Captain Thomas Coram. It covers a large space, and is enclosed within a wall: here the children play. There are about 360, who are educated in a plain manner; and when old enough the boys are apprenticed, and girls put to service. This is an evening cry in winter, reminding us of a cheerful fire, curtains drawn, pleasant company, the hissing urn, and a goodly pile of these toast

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THE NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.

This is the most important line of communication up the country, and the most extensive in the kingdom: it was commenced in 1837, and originally called the “London and Birmingham Railway,” from its ending in that town, 112 miles from London; but it is now the grand trunk line of numerous tributaries. Our view is of the Doric portico at the Euston station, Euston Square; it is built of granite, from a design by Philip Hardwick, R.A., and is 70 feet in height. These tasteful articles are cut out o

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THE COLOSSEUM.

It was erected some few years since for the exhibition of a panorama of London, painted by Mr. Horner, after sketches taken from a scaffold above the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral, (during the repairs of the ball and cross,) at sunrise, before the lighting of the innumerable fires. This glorious scene has been beautifully described by Wordsworth, in one of his sonnets:—...

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