The London pleasure gardens of the eighteenth centuryWroth, Warwick William
History
The London pleasure gardens of the eighteenth century
Wroth, Warwick William
London (England) -- History -- 18th century; Parks -- England -- London -- History
2. “The south-west view of Pancras Church and Wells.” Chatelain
del., J. Roberts sc., 1750. Crace, _Cat._ p. 579, No. 45; W.
Coll. (Pl. 30 in Chatelain’s _Fifty Views_); also the south-east
view, Chatelain’s _Fifty Views_, pl. 29, with “Adam and Eve.”
3. Pancras Wells. A north view of the garden, house, &c. Copy of
an old drawing, 1775, Crace, _Cat._ p. 580, No. 58.
4. A view of the Long Room at St. Pancras, and the Trap-Ball
Ground. Copy of an old drawing, 1775. Crace, _Cat._ p. 580, No.
59.
5. Colonel Jack robbing Mrs. Smith going to Kentish Town (near
the Wells). W. Jett del., J. Basire sc., 1762. Crace, _Cat._ p.
580, No. 60.
ADAM AND EVE TEA GARDENS, ST. PANCRAS
The Adam and Eve Tavern, situated near the west end of old Saint
Pancras Church, was in existence at least as early as 1730[128],
and is mentioned in 1754[129] as a resort of the London “cit.”
In 1778 it could boast of a long room adorned with gilt-framed
oval pier-glasses;[130] and in 1786 the landlord, Charles Eaton,
advertised[131] the attractions of his gardens and pleasure grounds.
About the beginning of the present century it could still be described
as an agreeable retreat “with enchanting prospects,” and the gardens
were well laid out with arbours, flowers and shrubs. Cows were kept for
making syllabubs, and on summer afternoons a regular company met to
play bowls and trap-ball in an adjacent field. One proprietor fitted
out a mimic squadron of frigates in the garden, and the long room was a
good deal used for bean-feasts, and tea-drinking parties.[132]
In 1803, about three and a half acres of the Adam and Eve tea-gardens
were taken to form the St. Giles-in-the-Fields Cemetery (adjoining the
old St. Pancras Churchyard), though the tavern still lingered on. In
later years (_circ._ 1865–1874) the Adam and Eve was an ordinary
public-house. It still retained (1874) a portion of its old grounds,
which were used by its frequenters for bowl-playing. This ground,
however, was enclosed by a high wall, and was overlooked by the mean
houses that formed Eve Place. The building has since been taken down.
[F. Miller’s _St. Pancras_, pp. 45 and 49; Palmer’s _St.
Pancras_, pp. 244, 245; Roffe’s _St. Pancras_, p. 3; _Picture of
London_, ed. 1802, p. 370; Wheatley’s _London_, III., 20, 22,
23; _see also_ notes.]
VIEWS.
The Adam and Eve is shown in the 1730 view of Pancras Wells,
and in the views of old St. Pancras Church, _e.g._, in the
“South view of the Church of St. Pancras,” printed for Bowles
and Carver (W. Coll.).
THE ASSEMBLY HOUSE, KENTISH TOWN
The Assembly House was in existence in 1725[133] or earlier, and
consisted of a large inn, partly built of wood, with a Long Room on
the south, entered from outside by a covered staircase. This room
for many years continued to be used for dancing by the élite of the
neighbourhood.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account