In sketching the design for the general building, of which a bird’s-eye view is here given, the author only took the 56 acres—the view shows only that portion of the building facing the Prince Albert’s Road, now called Queen’s Gate. It is placed in the centre of the land, so as to have large open grounds surrounding it. These at any time could have been covered up for the purpose of national exhibitions similar to those of 1851 and 1862. By putting the level of the ground floor of the new building about ten feet above that of the Kensington Road, a sub-basement would have been obtained, over 30 feet in height, affording ample space for arranging and storing works of art, as well as for receiving articles to be exhibited, or a great portion of them, from the upper parts of the building should the latter be wanted for any special purpose, and affording room likewise for all minor business departments. The Hall of Arts and Sciences was to be placed in the centre of the mass of building: a portion of the dome is seen in the view at the upper left-hand corner. This room was to be made 300 feet in length, by 180 in width. Two galleries for paintings, each 1000 feet in length and 80 feet in breadth, were to be placed on each side of the Central Hall. The sculptures from the British Museum were to be deposited in the central smaller halls of approach. The various Societies were to occupy the side-wings,
View of Queen’s Gate, Hyde Park, with the National Gallery and other buildings, as suggested by His Royal Highness the late Prince Consort.
each having its meeting and lecture room, and all necessary offices and apartments. The public were to enter at the porticoes seen in the view, and the carriages of the professors at the gateways in front. Two roads were proposed traversing the ground from north to south, and giving easy access for vehicles to every part of the building.
In the small block plan attached to the view, placed on the upper right-hand corner, b is the Prince Albert’s Road, a the Exhibition Road, and c and d the roads north and south.
The design was placed before the Prince at one of the Architects’ meetings at the Earl de Grey’s, and it was exhibited at the Royal Academy in the same year. The House of Commons, however, after granting such a large sum of money for the purchase of the land, expressed its disapproval of removing the National Gallery from the present position, said to be the finest site in Europe, and the Fellows of the Royal Academy were informed that the portion of the building they then occupied would be added to that of the gallery. A view of the gates and lodge as at present executed is here given.
It cannot be supposed that a sum of 340,000l. would have been expended by the nation for the purpose of giving the Horticultural Society a perpetual lease of the best portion of the estate purchased. It is already evident that the gardens are not well situated there. The smoke of the district will not permit the growth of delicate plants, and their exhibitions are supplied from the gardens at Chiswick. In much less than fifty years their grounds will probably be the centre of London, and consequently the noble conception of His Royal Highness has still a good chance of being carried into effect. The Society will be smoked out when the city bounds are extended. The present National Gallery building will be wanted either for a Bank of England or a Royal Exchange, and my Lord Mayor may follow the example of the India Directors, and leave the Mansion House, to move to Whitehall. A tunnel under the Exhibition Road takes visitors into the grounds direct from the railway, that now makes them as easy of access from the heart of the City as Charing Cross itself.