DOWN THE RIVER.
Deptford.—This was once of some importance as a shipbuilding place, a dockyard having been established here ever since the time of Henry VIII.; but the government establishments have recently been given up to the victualling and store departments. Deptford may now be considered part of the metropolis—and a very dirty part it is, containing few objects that would interest a stranger. Peter the Great of Russia studied as a shipwright at Deptford dockyard in 1698, to fit himself for creating a Russian navy.
Greenwich.—This favourite place lies on the south bank of the Thames, a little below Deptford, about six miles below London Bridge, following the windings of the river, but only about four miles by railway, from the London Bridge Station. It is noted for the Trafalgar, Ship, Crown and Sceptre, and other taverns, where whitebait dinners have become celebrated. Diners at these places, however, will require long purses. Greenwich is chiefly interesting, however, for its national establishments. Towards its eastern extremity stands the Hospital, which faces the Thames, and has a command of all that passes on the river. This superb hospital consists of four edifices, unconnected with each other, but apparently forming an entire structure, lining three sides of an open square, the fourth side being next the water. It is mostly built of stone, in majestic style; and along nearly the greater part are lofty colonnades, with handsome pillars, and covered overhead, to protect those underneath from the weather. The square interval in the centre, which is 273 feet wide, has in the middle a statue of George II., by Rysbrach. A portion of these beautiful buildings was originally planned by Inigo Jones, another portion by Sir C. Wren, and the rest by later architects. It was William and Mary who, in the year 1694, here established an hospital for superannuated and disabled seamen, to which purpose the buildings were till lately devoted. The institution is supported by the interest on £2,800,000, funded property, the rental of estates in the north of England, and a national grant. In 1865 it accommodated about 1300 pensioners, 150 nurses, and a variety of officers for the government of the place. The inmates were old sailors, with countenances well browned by tropical suns, or bleached by the tempests of the ocean; here one hobbling on a wooden leg, there one with an empty sleeve, and occasionally one with only one eye. Their clothes were of a dark-blue colour, of an antiquated fashion. Their old cocked-hats had been superseded by hats of more modern shape; the boatswains, or other warrant-officers, being allowed a yellow trimming or lace to their garments. An abundance of food was allowed, the clothing warm and comfortable, the accommodations in the rooms good; and each man, according to his rank, had from three to five shillings a-week, as an allowance for pocket-money. The outer gateway, and the interior parts of this establishment, were under the care of the pensioners themselves, who shewed the utmost attention to strangers, manifesting a frankness and good-nature characteristic of the profession of the sailor. Small sums were taken for exhibiting some of the buildings, but the money went to the general fund, or for the board and education of the children of seamen. The visitor did not fail to glance into the refectory and kitchen, which were freely open, and see the old men at their meals.
It may seem singular thus to speak of this famous establishment in the past tense; but in truth the purpose of Greenwich Hospital is changed. By an arrangement made in 1865, nearly all the pensioners (except sick and decrepit) have left the building, with a greatly increased money-allowance; most of them now living with their relations or friends.
One attractive part of the establishment is the Painted Hall, in the west wing. It consists of a great room and one smaller, a vestibule, and a flight of steps. The appearance of the whole interior, on entering, is very imposing, the ceiling and one end being covered with paintings; and although these paintings, exhibiting a mixture of fantastic heathen gods and goddesses with royal and other portraits, are not in judicious taste, they serve to give a good general effect to the noble apartment. Along the walls are hung a collection of pictures, partly portraits of celebrated navigators and admirals, and partly depicting distinguished naval victories: each being a present to the institution by some benefactor. A good portrait of Captain Cook, by Dance, presented by Sir Joseph Banks, adorns the vestibule. A number of portraits, by Sir Peter Lely, Dahl, Sir Godfrey Kneller, and others, were presented by George IV. There are also several by Sir Joshua Reynolds. The painted ceiling of the great room was executed by Sir James Thornhill in 1703 and subsequent years. It is related that, in consequence of the length of time he had to lie on his back painting the ceiling, the artist could never afterwards sit upright. In the smaller apartment are shewn several models of ships of war, admirably executed; the coat worn by Nelson at the battle of the Nile; the astrolabe of Sir Francis Drake, a curious brass instrument of antique fashion, used for nautical observation; and some interesting relics of the ill-fated voyage of Sir John Franklin. The Hall is open free to the public on Monday and Friday; on other days the charge is 4d. On Sunday it may be seen after morning-service. The Chapel is also worth a visit; it contains a fine picture by Benjamin West, the ‘Shipwreck of St. Paul;’ and monuments to two admirals, by Chantrey and Behnes. A monument or obelisk to the memory of Lieutenant Bellot, who perished in one of the Arctic Expeditions, has been placed on the noble Hospital-terrace, fronting the river.
The Park, extending behind the hospital—open free to the public until dusk—comprehends a considerable space of ground, nearly 200 acres, of great natural and artificial beauty. A pathway amidst lines of tall trees leads to a piece of rising-ground or mount, which, on holidays, generally exhibits a mirthful scene, in which ‘running down Greenwich hill’ plays a great part. On the summit is the Royal Observatory, founded by George III. for the promotion of astronomical science, and the scene of the labours of some men of distinguished ability. An astronomer-royal, supported by a parliamentary grant, constantly resides and pursues investigations in the Observatory. From this spot British geographers measure the longitude. The collection of instruments kept and used in this building is superb and costly; but the public are not admitted to see them. An electric time-ball falls every day at one o’clock precisely; and an electric clock, a standard barometer, and standard measures of length, (of rigorous accuracy,) are placed for public use by the side of the entrance-gates.
Limehouse to North Woolwich.—If a stranger be willing to lay aside the ideas of mere pleasure spots, he will find much to look at and think about in the stretch of river margin here denoted. First comes the Isle of Dogs, joining Limehouse on the east. This strange horseshoe-shaped piece of ground is almost wholly below the level of the river, the inroads of which are only prevented by embankments. The northern neck of the peninsula (for it is not strictly an island) is occupied by the West India Docks; the middle portion is not much appropriated to any useful purpose, on account of the lowness of the site; the river edge is fringed with shipbuilding and factory establishments. The Great Eastern was here built at Messrs. Scott Russell’s works. A new church has been built at Cubitt Town, the name now given to the eastern part of the Isle. Next below the Isle of Dogs are Poplar and Blackwall, now forming one town—observable for the shipyard of Messrs. Green, the terminus of the Blackwall Railway, the East India Docks, and two or three river-side taverns where whitebait dinners are much in fashion during the season. Then comes the spot, Bow Creek, at which the River Lea enters the Thames, so closely hemmed in by shipyards and engine-factories, that the Lea itself can barely be seen. The great shipyard of the Thames Company, late Messrs. Mare’s, is situated here. Next we come to the extensive and convenient Victoria Docks, occupying ground which was previously mere waste. Beyond the Docks are new centres of population gradually springing up, called Silvertown and North Woolwich, with large factories and a railway station. Still farther east, near Barking Creek, there may be seen the vast outfall of the great system of drainage for the northern half of the metropolis.
Woolwich.—Taking the south side of the river instead of the north, and availing himself of steamers or of trains, (from Charing Cross, Fenchurch Street, or Shoreditch,) the stranger finds the next place of importance below Greenwich to be Woolwich. This is a busy town in Kent, eight miles from London by land, and ten following the course of the river. Here, in the reign of Henry VIII., a dockyard for the construction of vessels of the royal navy was established; and ever since that time the place has been distinguished as an arsenal for naval and military stores. The dockyard was closed 1st October, 1869. From the river, a view is obtained of the arsenal, now greatly improved. The ground of the arsenal, for nearly a mile in length, is bounded on the river side by a stone quay, and is occupied in part by prodigious ranges of storehouses and workshops. Among these is included a laboratory for the preparation of cartridges, bombs, grenades, and shot; a splendid manufactory for shells and guns; a gun-carriage factory of vast extent; and a store of warlike material that never fails to fill a stranger with amazement. Adjoining are barracks for artillery and marines, military hospitals, &c. On the upper part of Woolwich Common is situated a royal military academy for the education of young gentlemen designed for the army. Strangers (if not foreigners) are admitted to the arsenal only by a written order from the War Office. The number of government establishments in and near Woolwich is very large; and there is generally something or other going on which a stranger would be interested in seeing.
Below Woolwich.—Numerous steamers during the day, trains on the Tilbury Railway, and others on the North Kent Railway, give easy access to a number of pleasant places lower down the river than Woolwich. On the Essex side are Rainham, near which onion gardens are kept up; Purfleet, where vast stores of government gunpowder are kept; Grays, where immense quantities of chalk are dug, and where copious springs of very pure water are found in the chalk beds; and Tilbury, where there is a regular fortification for the defence of the river, and a steam-ferry over to Gravesend.
CRYSTAL PALACE, &c.
There are many pretty spots in different directions in the vicinity of London, away from the river, worthy of a visit. On the north-west are Hampstead, with its noble Heath and its charming variety of landscape scenery; and Harrow, with its famous old school, associated with the memory of Byron, Peel, and many other eminent men. To its churchyard Byron was a frequent visitor: “There is,” he wrote to a friend in after years, “a spot in the churchyard, near the footpath on the brow of the hill looking towards Windsor, and a tomb (bearing the name of Peachey) under a large tree, where I used to sit for hours and hours when a boy.” Nearly northward are Highgate, with its fringe of woods, and its remarkable series of ponds; Finchley, once celebrated for its highwaymen, but now for its cemeteries; Hornsey, with its ivy-clad church, and its pretty winding New River; and Barnet, with its great annual fair. On the north-east are Edmonton, which the readers of ‘John Gilpin’ will of course never forget; Enfield, where the government manufacture rifles on a vast scale; Waltham, notable for its abbey and its gunpowder mills; and Epping Forest—a boon to picnic parties from the eastern half of London. ‘Fairlop Oak’ (Hainault Forest) has disappeared.
South of the Thames, likewise, there are many pretty spots, quite distinct from those on the river’s bank. Wimbledon, where volunteers assemble; Mitcham, near which are some interesting herb-gardens; Norwood, a pleasant spot, from which London can be well seen; Lewisham and Bromley, surrounded by many pretty bits of scenery; Blackheath, a famous place for golf and other outdoor games; Eltham, where a bit of King John’s palace is still to be seen; the Crays, a string of picturesque villages on the banks of the river Cray; &c. Dulwich is a village about 5 miles south of London Bridge. Here Edward Alleyn, or Allen, a distinguished actor in the reign of James I., founded and endowed an hospital or college, called Dulwich College, for the residence and support of poor persons, under certain limitations. On 21st June, 1870, a new college, a modern development and extension of the old charity, was formally opened by the Prince and Princess of Wales. The new buildings are entirely devoted to educational purposes, and they have accommodation for 600 or 700 boys. The founder bequeathed some pictures to the institution, and the collection was vastly increased by the addition of a large number, chiefly of the Dutch and Flemish schools, bequeathed in 1810 by Sir Francis Bourgeois. A gallery, designed by Sir John Soane, was opened in 1817; and this now forms a most attractive sight to all who delight in the fine arts. The gallery is open free every week-day from 10 to 5 in summer, and from 10 to 4 in winter.
Crystal Palace.—One especial object of interest in the southern vicinity of London is the far-famed Crystal Palace. This structure, in many respects one of the most remarkable in the world, owed its existence to the Great Exhibition of 1851 in Hyde Park. The materials of that building being sold to a new company towards the close of that year, were transferred to an elevated spot near Sydenham, about 7 miles from London. The intention was to found a palace and park for the exhibition of objects in art and science, and to make it self-paying. The original estimate was £500,000, but the expenditure reached nearly £1,500,000—too great to render a profitable return likely. The palace and grounds were opened in 1854; the water-towers and great fountains some time afterwards. The marvels of this unparalleled structure cannot be described within a limited space.
The park and gardens are extensive, occupying nearly 200 acres; they are beautifully arranged, and contain an extremely fine collection of flowers and other plants, occupying parterres separated by broad gravel-walks. The terraces, stone balustrades, wide steps, and sculptures, are all on a very grand scale. The fountains are perhaps the finest in the world, some of them sending up magnificent streams of water to a great height, and some displaying thousands of minute glittering jets interlacing in the most graceful manner. A portion of the water is made to imitate cascades and waterfalls. The jet from the central basin rises to 150 feet; and those from the two great basins to 250 feet. There are two cascades, each 450 feet long, 100 wide, and having a tall of 12 feet. When the whole of the waterworks are playing, there are 12,000 jets in all; and when this continues for the length of time customary on some of the ‘grand days,’ the water consumed is said to amount to 6,000,000 gallons. Two water-towers of enormous height, (nearly 300 feet from the foundations,) to which water is pumped up by steam-engines, supply the water-pressure by which the fountains are fed. The illustrations of extinct animals and of geology, in the lower part of the grounds, are curious and instructive.
Railway trains, running frequently during the day, give access to the Crystal Palace, from the Pimlico and London Bridge stations of the Brighton Company, from the Kensington and Chelsea stations of the West London Railway, from the Waterloo station of the South-Western viâ Wimbledon, and from the Ludgate Hill and other stations of the Chatham and Dover. The last-named company have built an elegant and convenient ‘high-level’ station, in front of the main centre transept. The Crystal Palace is a shilling exhibition; but the greater number of visitors only pay 1s. 6d. each for a ticket (third class) which insures admission to the palace and grounds, and the railway journey there and back; first and second class tickets are higher; and there are days on which admission to the palace is also higher. A whole week might be spent in examining the various treasures; for the Crystal Palace and grounds are interesting in each of the following features:—Sculpture; Illustrations of Architecture; Pictures and Photographs; Illustrations of Mechanics and Manufactures; Botany; Ethnology, or Illustrations of National Characteristics; Palæontology, or Extinct Animals; Geology; Hydraulic skill in the Fountains; and Musical facilities of an unprecedented kind. There are also facilities in the grounds for Cricket, Archery, Boating, Athletic Exercises, and Sports of other kinds, either regularly or occasionally. The directors must be credited with the undoubted excellence of their Choral Festivals and Orchestral Concerts. For great holiday demonstrations, too, there is nothing else at all equal to the Crystal Palace in the kingdom; and railways give access to it from almost every part of the metropolis.
Alexandra Park and Palace.—This is situated on the north side of London, near Hornsey, and is reached by means of the Great Northern Railway. It has long remained closed for want of funds, but is expected to be opened in June. Its objects, &c., are similar to those of the Crystal Palace. The building was erected from the remains of the Exhibition of 1862.
