Chelsea (London, England) -- Description and travel
various hands, until it came into the possession of Baron Dartrey,
afterwards Viscount Cremorne, from whom it gained its later name. Lady
Cremorne was frequently visited by Queen Charlotte. This Lady Cremorne
was a descendant of William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania. After her
death the villa and grounds were sold. In 1845 the place was opened as
Cremorne pleasure-gardens. These gardens, though famous, never rivalled
successfully those of Ranelagh, at the eastern extremity of Chelsea. They
were only open for thirty-two years, but during that time acquired the
reputation for being the resort of all the rowdies in the neighbourhood.
The noise made by the rabble passing along the river side after the
closing at nights caused great annoyance to the respectable inhabitants,
and finally led to the suppression of the gardens. L'Estrange says that
the site extended over the grounds of Ashburnham as well as Cremorne
House.
Cremorne Road is an offshoot of Ashburnham Road. Ashburnham House was
built in 1747 by Dr. Benjamin Hoadley, son of the Bishop of that name,
and author of "The Suspicious Husband." However, the house is remembered,
not by his name, but by that of its second purchaser, the Earl of
Ashburnham, who had here a collection of costly paintings. The grounds
were very well laid out, and adorned with statues.
Lots Road, running parallel to the river, retains in its name a memory
of the "lots" of ground belonging to the manor, over which the
parishioners had Lammas rights.
Burnaby Street, running out of it, is named after a brother of Admiral
Sir William Burnaby, who lived for some time in the neighbourhood. Beyond
is Stadium Street, named after Cremorne House when it was used as a
national club, and bore the alternative name of The Stadium. To the south
of Lots Road are the wharves of Chelsea and Kensington. Chelsea Creek
runs in here, cutting past the angle of Lots Road and turning northward
to the King's Road, where it is crossed by Stanley Bridge. The West
London railway-line has its Chelsea station just above the bridge.
Even this remote corner of Chelsea is not without its historical
associations. Just across the bridge, on the Fulham side, but usually
spoken of as belonging to Chelsea, is the old Sandford Manor House,
supposed to have been the home of Nell Gwynne. This house is connected
with Addison, who wrote from here many beautiful letters to little Lord
Warwick, who became his stepson on his marriage with the Dowager Countess
in 1716. In one of these he says: "The business of this is to invite you
to a concert of music, which I have found in a neighbouring wood. It
begins precisely at six in the evening, and consists of a blackbird, a
thrush, a robin redbreast and a bullfinch. There is a lark that, by way
of overture, sings and mounts until she is almost out of hearing ... and
the whole is concluded by a nightingale."
It would be difficult to find a wood affording such a concert in the
vicinity of Chelsea Creek now.
PART II
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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