Pain’s yard, Swan alley, East Smithfield.†
A Scene in the Gardens of Pain’s Hill.
S. Wale delin. F. Vivares sculp.
Pain’s hill, near Cobham, in Surry, is the seat of the Honourable Charles Hamilton, who has made great improvements, by inclosing a large tract of barren land, which though so poor as to produce nothing but heath and broom, he has so well cultivated and adorned, that few places are equal to it. The whole place is about five miles round; it is laid out in the modern taste, and planted with a beautiful variety of trees, plants, and flowers. The fine inequalities of the ground give a perpetual variety to the prospects, especially on that side next the river Mole, which river, though it lies lower than the level of the gardens by twenty feet, is brought into them by means of a wheel curiously contrived, which is turned by the river. Every time it turns round it takes up the water and conveys it through a spiral pipe from the circumference of the wheel to the center of it, from whence it is discharged into a trough, and from thence through pipes into the gardens, where by the joint assistance of nature and art, it is formed into a fine winding lake or piece of water, with an island in it, planted and laid out in walks, with bridges over to it of the most simple contrivance, and the whole surrounded with rising grounds, clumps of trees, and hanging woods, in as romantic and picturesque a manner as imagination can conceive. These gardens are but lately laid out, and consequently some of the plantations will appear to more advantage as they advance in growth. But the place upon the whole is very beautiful, and extremely well worth seeing.
Painter’s court, Berry street.
Painter’s rents, Ratcliff highway.
Painter Stainers, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by Queen Elizabeth in the year 1582; by the name of The Master, Wardens and Commonalty of the freemen of the art and mystery of painting, called Painter Stainers, within the city of London.
This fraternity is governed by a Master, two Wardens, and nine Assistants, to which belongs a livery of 124 members, who upon their admission pay a fine of 14l.
Painter Stainers Hall, in Little Trinity lane, is adorned with a handsome screen, arches, and pilasters of the Corinthian order, painted in imitation of porphyry, with gilt capitals. The pannels are of wainscot, and on the ceiling is finely painted by Fuller, Pallas triumphant, while Art and Fame, attended by Mercury, suppress their enemies, Sloth, Envy, Pride, &c. the other paintings are Endymion and Luna, by Palmatier; Orpheus slaying Pan, by Brull; Art and Envy, by Hungis; the portraits of King Charles II. and his Queen Catharine, by Houseman; a portrait of Camden; the fire of London; a piece of architecture of the Corinthian order, by Trevit; another of the Ionic order, given by Mr. Thompson, the city painter; Heraclitus and Democritus, by Penn; a landscape, by Aggas; fish and fowl, by Robinson; a piece of birds, by Barlow; a piece of fruit and flowers, by Everbrook; a ruin, by Griffier; and a fine piece of shipping, by Peter Monumea. There are several other pieces in the parlour.
In the court room are some fine pictures, most of which are portraits of the members of the company; and in the front of the room is a fine bust of Mr. Thomas Evans, who left five houses in Basinghall street to the company.