London and Its Environs Described, vol. 4 (of 6): Containing an Account of Whatever is Most Remarkable for Grandeur, Elegance, Curiosity or Use, in the City and in the Country Twenty Miles Round ItAnonymous
History
London and Its Environs Described, vol. 4 (of 6): Containing an Account of Whatever is Most Remarkable for Grandeur, Elegance, Curiosity or Use, in the City and in the Country Twenty Miles Round It
Anonymous
London (England) -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800; London (England) -- Gazetteers -- Early works to 1800
About the church piazzas, the stationers and booksellers were to have
their shops, and the Ministers their houses; as about that of St. Paul’s
was to be the episcopal palace, the Dean and Prebends houses, St. Paul’s
school, a public library, the prerogative and first fruits office, all
which were to be built at an ample distance from the cathedral, and with
more stately fronts, in honour of that august pile. In some of these
openings, surrounded with piazzas, he proposed to have the several
markets. In others the coaches might wait; and in some might be public
fountains constantly playing.
The College of Physicians he would have in one of the best parts of the
town, incircled with a handsome piazza, for the dwellings of those
learned persons, with the surgeons, apothecaries, and druggists in the
streets about them; for he would have all of a mystery in the same
quarters: those of the better sort of the shopkeepers in the sweetest
and most eminent streets and piazzas; and the artificers in the more
ordinary houses, in the intermediate and narrow passages; the taverns
and victualling houses were to be placed amongst them, and be built
accordingly; but so as to preserve the most perfect uniformity.
Between the piazzas, market places, and churches, might be placed the
halls for the Companies; and these, if fronted with stone, and adorned
with statues and other ornaments, would infinitely inrich the streets,
and render this city as famous for architecture of the most refined
gusto, as any city in Europe; among which should be distinguished
Guildhall, by its being more pompous and magnificent than the rest: near
this edifice he would have a magnificent house for the Lord Mayor, and
others for the two Sheriffs.
The Royal Exchange he thought might front the Thames about the
Steelyard, in an area surrounded on three sides with piazzas, with
vaults for warehouses underneath; and for such merchandize as could not
be well preserved under ground, might be erected buildings fronting the
Thames on the other side of the river, with wharfs before and yards
behind for the placing of cranes; the laying of timber, coals, &c. and
other gross commodities, while the key over against it should be built
for the owners, and the dwellings of the principal merchants: but if the
warehouses must needs be on this side, they should be made to front
Thames street rather than the river, because of the dull and heavy
aspect of those buildings.
The little bay at Queenhithe should have the key continued around it,
and cloistered about for the marketmen and fruiterers; and where the
wharf then was, a stately avenue was to extend to St. Paul’s.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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