Old Chelsea: A Summer-Day's StrollMartin, Benjamin Ellis
History
Old Chelsea: A Summer-Day's Stroll
Martin, Benjamin Ellis
Chelsea (London, England) -- Description and travel
{31} One of her school-mates here, by the way, was that Miss Roberts who
wrote so well about India; another was Lady Caroline Lamb, heroine of the
scissors-stabbing scene for Byron’s sake. And among other scholars here
at other times we find names famous in later life, as that of Lady
Bulwer, of Mrs. S. C. Hall, of Miss Mary Russell Mitford. The latter
lady lived for several years after her school days at No. 33, Hans Place.
In No. 41 lodged Percy Bysshe Shelley, at one time. These two last-named
houses have been raised two stories, and renewed; while Nos. 22 and 25
have been recently torn down and rebuilt. Thus every house in Hans Place
having historic association has been ruined for us, and others of no
interest from our point of view in this stroll are left intact in their
age—a queer fatality which I find to have pursued too many buildings of
old London!
{48} The painting in the National Portrait Gallery is a copy by an
unknown—withal a skilful—hand, of Holbein’s crayon sketch, now in Windsor
Castle. Its most striking feature is More’s mouth: these lips seem to
speak to us at once with sweetness and with sternness.
{57} In our reproduction of this rare print in the British Museum of
about the year 1682, Lindsey House is seen on the river bank at the
extreme left; behind it is a building in the Dutch style, concerning
which I can find no record anywhere; More’s mansion stands on the slope
half-way up to King’s Road, in the midst of its “great extent of
profitable garden and pleasure ground;” behind and to its left are the
stables and out-buildings. Just beyond King’s Road, on the left, may be
seen the small settlement named then and known now as “Little Chelsea.”
In the far distance, rise, on their wooded slopes, Holland, Camden, and
Kensington Houses. The gate-house of Inigo Jones shows plainly towards
the front, and from it the broad walk—now Beaufort Street—leads to the
river and the ferry, just at the spot where now springs Battersea Bridge.
{58} You may see a picture of such a scene—the sermon to a group of
negroes—in the old Moravian chapel in Fetter Lane. Here, too, are many
relics of interest of the man: his chair, with claw feet and curious
carvings; his queer old-German Hymn-book, printed in 1566, with metal
clasps and corners; and his portrait, life-size and in oil.
{80} There lies on my desk, as I write, a copper token, which I lately
picked up in a shabby shop of Red Lion Passage, High Holborn. It is
about the size of a penny piece, and on it is stamped “RANELAGH HOUSE,
1745:” these raised letters as clearly cut as on the day when coined. It
pleases me to wonder which and how many of the men I mention above may
have handed in this piece at the entrance gate.
{91} Henri, Marquis of Ruvigny, fled from France on the Revocation of
the Edict of Nantes, came to England, was here naturalized, and received
the title of Count of Galloway.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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