Chelsea (London, England) -- Description and travel
Chelsea may be roughly divided into two great triangles, having a common
side in the King's Road. Allusion has now been made to all the southern
half, and there remains the northern, which is not nearly so interesting.
Beginning at the west end where the last part finished, we find,
bordering the railway, St. Mark's College and Schools. The house of the
Principal is Stanley House, the oldest remaining in the parish. There has
been some confusion between this and Milman House, as both were the
property of Sir Robert Stanley, the former coming into his possession by
his marriage with the daughter of Sir Arthur Gorges. The Stanley monument
in More's chapel will be also recalled in this connection. Stanley House
as it now stands was built in 1691, and is not at all picturesque. The
original building, which preceded it, was known as Brickills, and was
leased by Lady Stanley from her mother, Lady Elizabeth Gorges. In 1637,
when Lady Gorges died, she left the house and grounds to her daughter by
will, and the Stanleys lived there until 1691, when the last male
descendant died. At this time the present house was built. The Arundels
occupied it first, and after them Admiral Sir Charles Wager, and then the
Countess of Strathmore. It was purchased from her by a Mr. Lochee, who
kept a military academy here. Among the later residents were Sir William
Hamilton, who built a large hall to contain the original casts of the
Elgin Marbles. These casts form a frieze round the room, and detached
fragments are hung separately. This room alone in the house is not
panelled. The panelling of the others was for many years covered with
paper, which has been gradually removed. The drawing-room door, which
faces the entrance in the hall, is very finely carved. The house and
grounds were bought from Sir W. Hamilton in 1840 by the National Society,
at the instigation of Mr. G. F. Mathison, whose untiring efforts resulted
in the foundation of St. Mark's College for the training of
school-masters. The first Principal was the Rev. Derwent Coleridge, son
of S. T. Coleridge. His daughter Christabel has given a charming account
of the early days of St. Mark's in a little book published in the
Jubilee year. In the early part of 1841 ten students were residents in
the college. The chapel was opened two years later, in May, 1843.
The Chapel has always been famous for its music and singing. It was among
the first of the London churches to have a choral service. The students
now number 120, and a large majority of these take Holy Orders. The
grounds are kept in beautiful order, and the great elms which overshadow
the green lawns must be contemporary with the house.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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