Among these he would have the parochial churches, which he thought might be reduced to half the number, as some of the parishes were then no less than two hundred times larger than others: and these he would have so interspersed as to adorn the profile of the city at all its avenues. Most of them he would have in the center of spacious areas, adorned with piazzas, &c. so as to be seen from several streets, and others at the abutments and extremities of them.
About the church piazzas, the stationers and booksellers were to have their shops, and the Ministers their houses; as about that of St. Paul’s was to be the episcopal palace, the Dean and Prebends houses, St. Paul’s school, a public library, the prerogative and first fruits office, all which were to be built at an ample distance from the cathedral, and with more stately fronts, in honour of that august pile. In some of these openings, surrounded with piazzas, he proposed to have the several markets. In others the coaches might wait; and in some might be public fountains constantly playing.
The College of Physicians he would have in one of the best parts of the town, incircled with a handsome piazza, for the dwellings of those learned persons, with the surgeons, apothecaries, and druggists in the streets about them; for he would have all of a mystery in the same quarters: those of the better sort of the shopkeepers in the sweetest and most eminent streets and piazzas; and the artificers in the more ordinary houses, in the intermediate and narrow passages; the taverns and victualling houses were to be placed amongst them, and be built accordingly; but so as to preserve the most perfect uniformity.
Between the piazzas, market places, and churches, might be placed the halls for the Companies; and these, if fronted with stone, and adorned with statues and other ornaments, would infinitely inrich the streets, and render this city as famous for architecture of the most refined gusto, as any city in Europe; among which should be distinguished Guildhall, by its being more pompous and magnificent than the rest: near this edifice he would have a magnificent house for the Lord Mayor, and others for the two Sheriffs.
The Royal Exchange he thought might front the Thames about the Steelyard, in an area surrounded on three sides with piazzas, with vaults for warehouses underneath; and for such merchandize as could not be well preserved under ground, might be erected buildings fronting the Thames on the other side of the river, with wharfs before and yards behind for the placing of cranes; the laying of timber, coals, &c. and other gross commodities, while the key over against it should be built for the owners, and the dwellings of the principal merchants: but if the warehouses must needs be on this side, they should be made to front Thames street rather than the river, because of the dull and heavy aspect of those buildings.
The little bay at Queenhithe should have the key continued around it, and cloistered about for the marketmen and fruiterers; and where the wharf then was, a stately avenue was to extend to St. Paul’s.
Four great streets were to extend along the city: the first from Fleet ditch, (which was to be formed into a noble canal) to the Tower: the second, from the Strand to the most eastern part of the city, where should be a noble triumphal arch in honour of Charles II. the third, from Newgate to Aldgate: and the fourth and shortest, from Aldersgate to Bishopsgate. He proposed that five principal cross streets should extend from Black Friars stairs into West Smithfield; from the Thames east of St. Paul’s to Aldersgate; from Queenhithe to Cripplegate; and from the Royal Exchange to Moorgate: that the street from the bridge should extend to Bishopsgate: that one from Billingsgate should extend near as far: and one from the Custom house to Aldgate.
Instead of houses on the bridge, he proposed to have it adorned with a substantial iron baluster, decorated, at convenient distances, with statues on their pedestals, with a footway on each side.
The hospitals, workhouses to employ the poor, and the prisons, being built and re-indowed at the public expence, were to be disposed of in convenient quarters of the city: the hospitals would become one of the principal streets; but the prisons, and court for the trial of criminals, might still be built near the entrances of the city.
The gates were to be in the form of triumphal arches, adorned with statues, relievos, and apposite inscriptions, not obstructed by sheds, or mean houses joined to them.