Westminster (London, England) -- Description and travel
The present street contains many pleasant, picturesque houses,
especially at the northern end. At the corner of Castle Lane is the
Westminster Chapel, the largest Independent place of worship in the
Metropolis excepting Spurgeon's Tabernacle. It seats 2,500, and has two
galleries, one above the other, running round the whole interior. It was
opened in 1865 to replace a smaller chapel which had previously stood on
the same site.
Emanuel Hospital was a charming old building which stood south of the
chapel on the same side of the street. It was founded in 1594 by Lady
Dacre "for the relief of aged people and the bringing up of children in
virtue and good and laudable arts, whereby they might the better live in
time to come by their honest labour." The low range of buildings running
round a quadrangle had tall chimneys, and the central house was
decorated by a cupola and clock. It was the sort of place that took the
sharpness off charity by covering it with a sheath of that dignity which
is always to be found in antiquity.
By Lady Dacre's will there were to be twenty almspeople, and each of
them was at liberty to bring up one child. It was, however, not until
the year 1728 that a school was first established, for before that the
funds had been insufficient.
In 1890 thirteen of the almshouses stood empty from failure of income,
and subsequently it was resolved to demolish the almshouses and offer
the present valuable site for building purposes. It is not the
intention of the trustees to erect new almshouses. The charity will in
future be entirely in money pensions known as Lady Dacre's pensions.
Caxton Street was originally called Chapel Street, but was renamed in
honour of the great printer, who lived for some years at a house in the
Almonry, now replaced by the Westminster Palace Hotel (see p. 34).
On the south side of the street is a curious little square brick
building with the figure of a Bluecoat boy over the porch, and the
inscription on a slab, "The Blue Coat School, built in the year 1709."
On the back is a large painting of a similar boy and the date of
foundation: "This School founded 1688." A small garden stretches out
behind. The building itself contains simply one hall or classroom, which
is decorated by an ornamental dental cornice, and has a curious inner
portico with fluted columns over the doorway. It is supposed to have
been built by the great Sir Christopher. The Master's house, covered
with Virginia creeper, stands on one side of the main building.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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