Westminster (London, England) -- Description and travel
Beginning at the least interesting end of Westminster--that is to say,
the west end of Victoria Street--there are not many objects of interest
apparent. Victoria Street was in 1852 cut through nests of alleys and
dirty courts, including a colony of almshouses, cottages, chapel, and
school, known as Palmer's Village. The solid uniform buildings on either
side of the street have a very sombre aspect; they are mainly used for
offices. There is still some waste ground lying to the south of Victoria
Street, in spite of the great Roman Catholic Cathedral, begun in 1895,
which covers a vast area. The material is red brick with facings of
stone, and the style Byzantine, the model set being the "early Christian
basilica in its plenitude." The high campanile tower, which is already
seen all over London, is a striking feature in a building quite
dissimilar from those to which we in England are accustomed. The great
entrance at the west end has an arch of forty feet span, and encloses
three doorways, of which the central one is only to be used on solemn
occasions by the Archbishop. One feature of the interior decoration will
be the mosaic pictures in the marble panels. The building is still
incomplete, and not open to the public. It stands on the site of Tothill
Fields Prison, which was considered to be one of the finest specimens of
brickwork in the country, and cost the nation L200,000, but has now
completely vanished. It resembled a fortress; the entrance, which stood
in Francis Street, was composed of massive granite blocks, and had a
portcullis. The prison took the place of a Bridewell or House of
Correction near, built in 1622; but in spite of the vast sum of money
spent upon it, it lasted only twenty years (1834-54).
The fire-station and Western District Post-Office also occupy part of
the same site. The extension of the Army and Navy Stores stands on the
site of the Greencoat School, demolished in 1877. Certain gentlemen
founded this school; in Charles I.'s reign it was constituted "a body
politic and corporate," and the seal bears date 1636. The lads wore a
long green skirt, bound round with a red girdle. In 1874, when the
United Westminster Schools were formed from the amalgamation of the
various school charities of Westminster, the work was begun here, but
three years later the boys were removed to the new buildings in Palace
Street. The old school buildings were very picturesque. They stood round
a quadrangle, and the Master's house faced the entrance, and was
decorated with a bust of King Charles and the royal arms. In the
wainscoted board-room hung portraits of King Charles I. by Vandyck, and
King Charles II. by Lely.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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