Stands at the back of Milbank street in a square. It is one of the most singular, not to say whimsical, buildings in or near the metropolis; and is one of the 52 new churches built soon after the time of Sir Christopher Wren. The reader, who has seen it, will not need to be informed, that no pupil of his was the architect. It is the work of Mr. Archer, though Sir John Vanbrugh has the discredit of it. While it was building, the foundations gave way, and it sunk so much as to occasion a material alteration in the plan originally laid down for its construction, which may perhaps account for its present curious appearance. On the north and south sides are magnificent porticos, supported by massy stone pillars, as is also the roof of the church. At each of the four angles is a beautiful stone tower, and a pinnacle. It is said that these additions were erected, that the whole might sink equally, and owe their magnitude to the same cause!—The principal objections against the structure are, that it appears encumbered with ornaments; and that the compass being too small for the design, it appears too heavy. In front is an elegant portico, supported by Doric columns, which order is continued in pilasters round the building, It is now almost constantly undergoing some repairs; and it is sometimes necessary to introduce large timber supporters within the body of the church, which have a curious but not a very agreeable appearance. This was the first church or public building, we believe, that was lighted with gas. The effect is very fine.
Owes its erection to the same cause as that of St. Anne's, (viz.) the great increase in the parish of St. Martin's in the Fields. It was founded in the latter part of Charles II.'s reign, and consecrated in the first of James II.'s, and named in honour of both saint and monarch. There is a remarkably fine front of white marble in this church, supported by the tree of life. The building is of brick and stone, about 85 feet long, 60 broad, and 45 feet high, with a handsome steeple, 150 feet in height.
Was rebuilt in its present stately manner between the year 1721 and 1726;—it was erected on the site on which there had been a church before 1222. This church is an elegant edifice of stone. On the west front is a noble portico of Corinthian columns, supporting a pediment, in which are represented the royal arms in bas relief. The ascent to the portico is by a flight of very long steps. The length of this church is about 140 feet, the breadth 60, and the height 45. It has a fine arched roof, sustained by stone columns of the Corinthian order. The steeple has a beautiful spire, and is very stately and elegant. In the tower is an excellent peal of twelve bells. The celebrated Nell Gwyn left the ringers of this church, she being buried in its ground, a sum of money to supply them with entertainment weekly, and which, we believe, they still enjoy. The interior decorations are extremely fine. The ceiling is elliptical, which is said to be much better for the voice than the semicircular.
Near Hanover Square, is a neat structure. It is one of the 50 new churches erected within the bills of mortality by act of parliament, in the reign of queen Anne. The ground for the edifice was given by lieutenant-general Steward, who also left 4,000l. to the parish towards erecting and endowing a charity school which, by additional benefactions and subscriptions, is become very considerable.
Is also one of the 50 new churches built in the reign of queen Anne, and is a handsome piece of architecture, though not very extensive. At the entrance on the west side is an ascent by a flight of steps in a circular form, which leads to a similarly shaped portico of Ionic columus, covered with a dome which is crowned with a base. The columns are continued along the body of the church, with pilasters of the same order at the corners; and in the intercolumniations are niches, handsomely ornamented. A handsome balustrade is carried round the top of the church, and adorned with bases.
Is also situated in the Strand. A church is said to have stood in this place since about the year 700; but the present structure, which was designed by Sir Christopher Wren, was begun in l680. It is built of stone, with two rows of windows; the lower plain, but the upper ornamented; and the termination is by an attic, the pilasters of which are covered with bases. On the south side is a portico covered with a dome supported by Ionic columns; and opposite to this is another. The steeple is beautiful, and of great height.
One of the fifty new churches erected by act of parliament, is distinguished from all the rest, by standing north and south, and by the statue of king George I. at the top of its pyramidal steeple.
Is behind the mansion house. It is deemed the masterpiece of the celebrated Sir Christopher Wren, and is said to exceed every modern structure in the world in proportion and elegance. The plan is original, yet simple; the elevation surprising, yet chaste and beautiful; the dome, supported by eight arches, springing from eight single columns, is wonderfully light and scenic in its effect. Over the altar is a fine picture, representing the interment of St. Stephen, by West.
Is a church that was built in consequence of the vast increase of inhabitants in St. Martin's in the Fields. Two good paintings of Moses and Aaron adorn the tablets, containing the decalogue; and the organ was the gift of William III. At the back of this church is a stone, with the following inscription:—
" Near the place is interred
THEODORE, King of Corsica;
Who died in this Parish,
December XI, MDCCLVI.,
ImmediateIy after leaving
The King's Bench Prison,
By the benefit of the Act of Insolvency;
In consequence of which
They registered his Kingdom of Corsica
For the use of his Creditors!
The grave, great Teacher! to a level brings
Heroes and beggars, galley-slaves and kings!
But Theodore, this moral learn'd, ere dead
Fate pour'd its lessons on his living head,
Bestow'd a kingdom, and denied him bread."
It is of singular interest, and was erected by Earl of Orford, its 1758.
Is of very recent erection. It was originally designed as an additional chapel of ease to the parish; but when the interior had been fitted up and arranged, it was so much admired, that it was thought expedient to make it the parish church. A small stone cupola, which had been erected, was then taken down, and the present tower substituted. The front towards the New or Portland Road, was increased in length, and the portico of six fine Corinthian columns was tastefully attached to the building. No alteration, however, was deemed necessary in the interior. This church has relieved, in a certain degree, the tameness which had hitherto characterized the distant prospect of that part of the metropolis, as well as the architecture of its public and private structures. It has removed from the largest and most wealthy parish in Britain, the reflection of having a parish church very inferior in elegance or utility. The new church is an amazing size, and is of most commodious construction. There is an uncommonly fine painting over the altar-piece, by West, which that celebrated painter presented to the church. The foundation-stone was laid July 5th, 1813. It was consecrated Feb. 4th, 1817. Mr. Hardwicke, of Berners street, was the architect, and Mr. Knapp, of Foley street, the builder.
The organ is over the altar, and stands at the south end of the church. The body of the church is 70 feet wide, and 125 feet long. The portico is 20 feet wide. The height of the church from the ground to the top of parapet is 53 feet; the height of the columns 34 feet; the height of the spire, including the vane, is 134 feet.
The church and church-yard, dedicated to St. Pancras, have been long celebrated as the burial-place of such Roman Catholics as die in London and its vicinity; and there are many interesting inscriptions to the memory of distinguished foreigners. Here may be seen the monument of the celebrated Mary Woolstoncroft, afterwards Mrs. Godwin, author of the "Rights of Woman," and of other publications: and here were lately interred the remains of the gallant Sir Thomas Picton, who was slain in the memorable battle of Waterloo. In one part of this extensive cemetery, the stranger may view the tomb of the brave, and once celebrated, but unfortunate Paoli; an exile from his native island Corsica, in consequence of the annihilation of her liberties by the tyranny of France; and, in another part, the graves of an archbishop of Narbonne, and seven bishops, driven from France in a more recent period of her history. The archbishop's grave, and the spot where lie the ashes of six of his episcopalian brethren, are marked only by common headstones; in no degree distinguished from the graves of peasants except by their names and ecclesiastical rank. Many of the heads of ancient families of that devoted country, and of her famed marshals, lie near them, in the same undistinguished manner. Here also lie the remains of the celebrated chevalier D' Eon, whose death took place in 1810, at the age of eighty-three, when the controversy respecting his sex was decided, in direct opposition to the celebrated determination before Lord Mansfield on a policy of insurance. The chevalier was a scholar of no mean talents, and distinguished himself by writing on finance.
Other CHURCHES are conspicuous for much architectural beauty, and scientific merit. The tower and spire of Bow Church, in Cheapside, by Sir Christopher Wren; the tower of St. Michael's, in Cornhill; the tower and spire of St. Bride's, in Fleet street, the tower and spire of St. Dunstan in the East, by Sir Christopher Wren. The church of St. Paul, Covent Garden, built by Inigo Jones, was long an ornament to that park of the metropolis, but was unfortunately, a few years ago, destroyed by fire. The walls, however, received little damage; and this relict of one of our first artists has been restored without any material deviation from the original plan. On the false door, in the front, next the market, is an inscription recording the event—Besides these, the churches of which views accompany this work, merit attention:—Christ-church, Spitalfields; Shoreditch Church; St. Sepulchre, Skinner street; St. Andrew, Holborn; Stepney Church; Portland Chapel, &c.
Other churches are distinguished for curios monuments, as St. Andrew Undershaft, Leadenhall street, for that of Stow, the historian; St. Helen, of Sir Thomas Gresham; St. Giles, Cripplegate, where Milton, Fox, the martyrologist, and Speed, the historian, were buried. In the Temple Church are interred the celebrated lawyers, Plowden, Selden, and Lord Thurlow.
1. Spanish place, Manchester square.
2. Denmark court, Crown street, Soho.
3. Sutton street, Soho.
4. South street, May-fair.
5. Warwick street, Golden square.
6. Duke street, Lincoln's Inn Fields.
7. Prospect place, St. George's fields.
8. East lane, Bermondsey.
9. White street, Moor-fields.
10.Virginia street, Ratcliffe highway.
11. London road, Surrey.
12. Hampstead.
13. Clarke's-buildings, Greenwich.
14. Clarendon square, Somers Town.
15. Moorfields, (a new chapel.)
1. Duke's place, Dutch.
2. Bevis Marks, Duke's place, Portuguese.
3. Bricklayers' hall, Leadenhall street.
4. Church row, Fenchurch street.
5. Baker's-gardens, Leadenhall street.
6. Back alley, Denmark court, Strand.
French.
1. Crown street, Soho.
2. Threadneedle street.
3. Austin Friars.
4. Parliament court, Artillery place.
5. St. John's court, Bethnal Green.
6. Brick lane, Splital-fields.
Danish.—Wellclose square.
Armenian.—Prince's row, Coverlid fields, Spital-fields.
Helvetic.—Moor street, Seven Dials.
German
1. St. James's Palace.
2. Calvinist Church, Savoy, Strand.
3. Lutheran Church, Savoy, Strand.
4. Ludgate hill.
5. Little Trinity lane.
6. Austin Friars.
7. Little Alie street, Goodman's fields.
8. Brown's lane, Spital-fields.
Dutch
1. Austin Friar's.
2. St. James's Palace.
West of Temple Bar.
1. Adelphi.
2. Air street, Piccadilly.
3. Battle-bridge.
4. Blandford street, Manchester square.
5. Chapel street, Soho square.
6. Cook's ground, Chelsea.
7. Crown court, Russel-street, Covent garden.
8. Eagle-street, Red Lion square
9. Edward street, Soho.
10. Essex street, Strand.
11. Grafton-street, Soho.
12. Hanover street, Long Acre.
13. Holborn Bars.
14. King street, Soho
15. Margaret street, Cavendish square.
16. New court, Carey street, Lincoln's Inn Fields.
17. New Tothill street, Westminster.
18. Orange street, Leicester square.
19. Princes street, Westminster.
20. Great Queen street, Lincoln's Inn Fields.
21. Shouldham street, Edgware road.
22. Store street Tottenham Court road.
23. Swallow street, Oxford street.
24. Tottenham Court road.
25. Wells street, Oxford street.
26. West street, Seven Dials.
27. York street, St. James's.
28. Tunbridge Chapel, New road.
29. Chapel path, Somers' Town.
30. Keppel street, Russel square.
East of Temple Bar.
1. Albion Chapel, Moorfields.
2. Aldermanbury.
3. Artillery street, Bishopsgate street.
4. Great Alie street, Goodman's fields.
5. Little Alie street, Goodman's fields.
6. Barbican.
7. Bethnal green.
8. Boar's Head court, Petticoat lane, Whitechapel.
9. Brayne's-buildings, Cold Bath fields.
10. Broad street buildings, Moorfields.
11. New Broad street, Moorfields.
12. Broad street, Wapping.
13. Bull lane, Stepney.
14. Bull street, St. Mary Axe.
15. Bury street, St. Mary Axe.
16. Camomile street, Bishopsgate street.
17. Little Carter lane, Doctors' Commons.
18. Church Lane, Whitechapel.
19. Church street, Mile End.
20. Churchyard court, Fetter lane.
21. City Road.
22. Cock lane, Snow hill.
23. Coleman street, London wall.
24. Cripplegate.
25. Cumberland street, Curtain road.
26. Devonshire square, Bishopsgate street.
27. Great East Cheap, Fish street Hill.
28. Little East Cheap, Fish street Hill.
29. East Smithfield, Tower hill.
30. Elim court, Fetter lane.
31. Fetter lane, Fleet street.
32. Founder's hall, Lothbury.
33. Finsbury.
34. Glass house yard, Aldersgate street.
35. Old Gravel lane, Wapping.
36. Grey Eagle street, Spital-fields
37. Harecourt, Aldersgate street.
38. Holywell Mount, Shoreditch.
39. Hoxton square.
40. Jewin street, Aldersgate street.
41. Jewry street, Aldgate.
42. Johnson's street, Old Gravel lane, Wapping.
43. Leading street, Shadwell.
44. Leather Lane, Holborn.
45. London Wall.
46. Meeting house Alley, Old Jewry.
47. Meeting house court, Bartholomew close.
48. Meeting house yard, Red cross street.
49. Mill lane, Cable street, Rosemary lane.
50. Mile's lane, Cannon street.
51. Mitchel street, Old street.
52. Monkwell street.
53. Nightingale lane, East Smithfield.
54. Nevil's court, Fetter lane.
55. Parliament-court, Bishopsgate street.
56. Paul's-alley, Red cross street, Cripplegate.
57. Pavement, Moorfields.
58. Pinner's hall, Broad street.
59. Little Prescott street, Goodman's fields
60. Prince's street, Moorfields.
61. Red cross street Barbican.
62. Ropemakers' alley, Moorfields.
63. Rose lane, Ratcliff cross.
64. Salters hall, Oxford court, Cannon street
65. Shakespare's walk, Shadwell.
66. Silver street, Falcon square.
67. Little St. Helen's, Bishopsgate street.
68. Great St. Thomas Apostle, Watling street.
69. Spa-fields.
70. Staining lane, Cheapside.
71. Hill alley Devonshire square, Bishopsgate street.
72. Tabernacle walk, Finsbury.
73. Little Tabernacle walk, Finsbury.
74. Three Crane lane, Upper Thames street.
75. White's row, Spitalfields.
76. Winchester street, London wall.
77. Windmill street, Finsbury square.
78. Windsor court, Monkwell street
79. Wood street, London wall.
80. Worship street, Moorfields.
Southwark, Lambeth, &c.
1. Back street, Horsley down.
2. Blackfriars' road.
3. Carter lane, Tooley street.
4. Chapel court, Southwark.
5. Collier's rents, Southwark.
6. Cook's Grounds, Chelsea.
7. Crosby row, Snow's-fields.
8. Deans street, Tooley street, Southwark.
9. Ewer's street, Southwark.
10. Gainsford street Horsley down.
11. Green walk, Blackfriars road.
12. Jamaica row, Rotherhithe.
13. Kent street, Southwark.
14. King John's court, Bermondsey.
15. Long Lane, Southwark.
16. China terrace, Lambeth.
17. Maze pond, Southwark.
18. Meeting house walk, Snow's fields.
19. Newington Butts.
20. New road, Rotherhithe.
21. New road, Surrey.
22. New Tothill street, Westminster.
23. Park street, Southwark.
24. Queen street, Southwark.
25. Queen street, Rotherhithe.
26. Salisbury street, Bermondsey.
27. St. George's, London-road, Surrey.
28. St. Thomas, New way, Tooley street
29. St. Thomas street, Southwark.
30. Unicorn Yard, Tooley street.
31. Unicorn street, Southwark.
32. Walnut tree alley, Tooley street.
Quakers' Meetings.
1. Houndsditch.
2. Red cross street, Park, Southwark.
3. White hart court, Gracechurch street.
4. St. John's street, Smithfield.
5. School house lane, Ratcliffe highway.
6. St. Peter's court, St. Martin's lane.
Dissenters' Burial Ground, Bunhill Fields.
The present Artillery ground, together with the land on the north side as far as Old street, was anciently termed Bonhill, or Bunhill, fields. A part of this field, on the north side of the Artillery ground, now called Tindal's, or the Dissenters' Burial ground, was consecrated and walled at the expense of the city in the pestilential year 1665, as a common cemetery for the internment of such bodies as could not have room in their parochial burial ground; but not being used on this occasion, Dr. Tindal took a lease of it, and converted it into a burial ground for the use of the dissenters.
In this extended cemetery lie the remains of many distinguished Non-conformists; a few of whose names attracted our notice in a late visit to this receptacle of the dead.
Mr. John Bunyan, author of the Pilgrim's Progress, who died August 12, 1688.
Dr. Williams, the founder of the dissenters' library in Red cross street, who died February 7, 1716, aged 72.
Mrs. Susannah Wesley, mother of the celebrated John and Charles Wesley, who died July 23, 1742.
Dr. Issac Watts, who ranked high among the dissenters, as a poet, a divine, and general scholar. He died November 25th, 1748, aged 75.
The Rev. D. Neale, author of the History of the Puritans, who died December 4th, 1765, aged 51.
Dr. Lardner, the learned author of " The Credibility of the Gospel History." He died July 24, 1768, aged 84.
Dr. John Guise, who died November 22 1761.
Dr. Langford, who died April 23, 1775, aged 71.
Dr. Gill, who died October 23, 1771, aged 74.
Dr. Stennett, who died August 24, 1795, aged 68.
Dr. Harris, who died October 10, 1795, age 67.
Dr. S. M. Savage, who died February 21, 1791, aged 70.
Dr. Richard Price, author of " Reversionary Payments," and other highly distinguished publications. He died April 19, 1791, aged 68.
Dr. Fisher, who died August 13, 1807, aged 76.
Rev. Hugh Worthington, who died July 26, 1813, aged 61.
Dr. Robert Young, who died October 8, 1813, aged 36.
Here, also, (enclosed in the family vault of the Rev. Dr. Rees,) lie the mortal remains of George Walker, Fellow of the Royal Society, late of Nottingham and Manchester; but no memorial yet appears to direct the willing feet of his former admirers to the spot made sacred by his ashes! He died in the year 1807.
---End---
Source: Leigh's New Picture of London. Printed for Samuel Leigh, 18, Strand;
by W. Clowes, Northumberland Court. 1819