The first of the public Baths and Wash-houses was established near the London Docks in 1844. The number, of course, has vastly increased. Many of them are maintained by the parish authorities, and are very cheap.
The first public Drinking Fountain in London was erected, near St. Sepulchre’s Church, close to Newgate, in 1859. There are now nearly 200 such fountains and troughs for animals in London.
In 1833, by an agreement among the Fire Insurance offices, there was established a regular fire-suppression police, or Fire Brigade, consisting of a superintendent, foremen, engineers, sub-engineers, and firemen; numerous engines are in constant readiness at fifty-four different stations. (The brigade is now placed under public control, supported by a house-rate.) The fires in London exceed 1,500 annually, on an average.
Mansion House.—This is a tall square mass of dark stone building, nearly opposite the Bank and the Royal Exchange, with a portico of six Corinthian columns in front, resting on a low rustic basement. This edifice, which extends a considerable depth behind, is the official residence of the Lord Mayor of London, provided by the city corporation. Besides an extensive suite of domestic apartments, it contains a number of state-rooms, in which company is received and entertained. The chief of these rooms are the Egyptian hall and the ball-room, which have a grand appearance. Some fine sculptures by British artists—the best of which are Foley’s ‘Caractacus and Egeria,’ and Bailey’s ‘Genius and the Morning Star’—have recently been added; the corporation having voted a sum of money for this purpose. The lord mayor’s annual stipend is £5,997 8s. 4d., with certain allowances, we believe, not stated; and in the Mansion House he has the use of a superb collection of plate: he is likewise allowed the use of a state-coach, &c. Every lord mayor, however, expends more than this sum during his year of office in grand banquets.
Guildhall.—This may be regarded as the Town-hall, or what the French would call the Hotel de Ville, of London; where are held meetings of the livery to elect members of parliament, lord mayor, sheriffs, and others, and where the grandest civic entertainments are given. It is situated at the end of King Street, Cheapside. The building is old, but received a new front, in a strange kind of Gothic, in 1789. The interior of the grand hall is 153 feet long, 48 feet broad, and 55 feet high; it is one of the largest rooms in London, and can accommodate about 3,500 persons at dinner. Two clumsy colossal figures, called Gog and Magog, the history of which has never clearly been made out, are placed at the west end of the hall. Around it are some fine marble monuments to Lord Mayor Beckford, Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington, the Earl of Chatham, and his son, William Pitt. Note the stained glass with the armorial bearings of the twelve great city companies; also observe, in the passage leading to the common-council chamber, the portrait of General Sir W. F. Williams, the heroic defender of Kars in 1855. At the top of the council chamber will be seen Chantrey’s statue of George III.; a picture of the siege of Gibraltar, by Copley; and Northcote’s ‘Wat Tyler slain by Lord Mayor Walworth,’ with other pictures and portraits. Near by are several offices for corporate and law courts. The Library contains many valuable antiquities, books, coins, pottery, &c., and some interesting autographs. Note that of Shakespere, on a deed of purchase of a house in Blackfriars. The Crypt is a curious underground vault. On Lord Mayor’s Day the grand dinner usually costs about £2,200. On the 18th June, 1814, when the Allied Sovereigns dined here, the gold plate was valued at £200,000.
The Monument.—This may be regarded as a corporate structure, although it answers no useful purpose. It is a fluted Doric column, situated in a small space of ground adjoining the southern extremity of King William Street, on the descent to Lower Thames Street. It was begun in 1671, and finished in 1677, at a cost of about £14,500, in commemoration of the Great Fire of London, which began at the distance of 202 feet eastward from the spot, in 1666; and its height has on that account (so we are told) been made 202 feet. It is a handsome column, with a gilt finial intended to represent flames of fire. Visitors are allowed to ascend by a winding stair of 345 steps to the top; fee, 3d. No better place can be chosen from which to view the river, the shipping, and the city generally.
The Royal Exchange.—This is a handsome quadrangular building on the north side of Cornhill, having in the centre an open court with colonnades. The chief entrance faces an open paved space on the west, on which is placed an equestrian statue of the Duke of Wellington. The building was erected from plans by Mr. Tite, and was opened in 1844; it occupies the site of the former Exchange, which was accidentally destroyed by fire. The pediment contains sculptures by Sir R. Westmacott, R.A. The lower part of the exterior is laid out as shops, which greatly injure the architectural effect; the upper rooms are occupied as public offices, one of which is Lloyd’s, or, more properly, Lloyd’s Subscription Rooms, where merchants, shipowners, shippers, and underwriters congregate. A statue of the Queen is in the centre of the quadrangular area. The busy time on ’Change is from 3 till 4 o’clock, Tuesday and Friday being the principal days.
THE TEMPLE; INNS OF COURT; COURTS OF JUSTICE; PRISONS.
The buildings noticed in this section belong partly to the crown, partly to the corporation of London, and partly to other bodies.
The Temple.—Contiguous to the south side of Fleet Street is a most extensive series of buildings, comprising several squares and rows, called the Temple; belonging to the members of two societies, the Inner and Middle Temple, consisting of benchers, barristers, and students. This famous old place, taken in its completeness, was, in 1184, the metropolitan residence of the Knights Templars, who held it until their downfall in 1313; soon afterwards it was occupied by students of the law; and in 1608 James I. presented the entire group of structures to the benchers of the two societies, who have ever since been the absolute owners. The entrance to Inner Temple, from Fleet Street, consists of nothing more than a mere gateway; the entrance to Middle Temple was designed by Sir Christopher Wren. Middle Temple Hall, 100 feet long, 42 wide, and 47 high, is considered to have one of the finest Elizabethan roofs in London. A group of chambers, called Paper Buildings, built near the river, is a good example of revived Elizabethan. A new Inner Temple Hall was formally opened, in 1870, by the Princess Louise. In October, 1861, when the Prince of Wales was elected a bencher of the Middle Temple, a new Library was formally opened, which had been constructed at a cost of £13,000; it is a beautiful ornament to the place, as seen from the river. The Temple Church, a few yards only down from Fleet Street, is one of the most interesting churches in London. All the main parts of the structure are as old as the time of the Knights Templars; but the munificent sum of £70,000 was spent, about twenty years ago, in restoring and adorning it. There are two portions, the Round Church and the Choir, the one nearly 700 years old, and the other more than 600. The monumental effigies, the original sculptured heads in the Round Church, the triforium, and the fittings of the Choir, are all worthy of attention. The north side of the church has recently been laid open by the removal of adjoining buildings; and in their place some handsome chambers are erected. Hard by, in the churchyard, is the grave of Oliver Goldsmith, who died in chambers (since pulled down) in Brick Court. The Sunday services are very fine, and always attract many strangers. The Temple Gardens, fronting the river, are probably the best in the city.