Two years previous to this notice, there was a paragraph in the Times (April 6, 1841) which shows how the Wells had fallen into decadence.
"The Old Grotto, which had all the windows out, and was greatly dilapidated, and the upper part of the Garden Wall, was knocked down by some persons going along Bagnigge Road, early this morning."
The old place had fulfilled its mission. It had ministered to the recreation and amusement, harmless, or otherwise, of generations of Londoners, and it came to final grief, and disappeared in 1844. Its name is still preserved in "The Bagnigge Wells" Tavern, 39, King's Cross Road, and that is all the reminiscence we have of this once famous place of recreative resort.
Footnotes
[37] An allusion to the hot buttered rolls, which were in vogue there.
[40] With all due deference to Punch, I think his version is slightly, only slightly, inaccurate. I have before me five copies, two MS. and three printed, all of which run—
"Come, prithee make it up, Miss,
And be as lovers be,
We'll go to Bagnigge Wells, Miss,
And there we'll have some tea.
It's there you'll see the Lady-birds
Perch'd on the Stinging Nettles;
The Chrystal water Fountain,
And the Copper, shining Kettles.
It's there you'll see the Fishes,
More curious they than Whales,
And they're made of Gold and Silver, Miss,
And wags their little tails.
Oh! they wags their little Tails
—They wags their little Tails
Oh! they're made of gold and silver, Miss, and they wags their little Tails.
Oh! dear! Oh! la! Oh! dear! Oh! la!
Oh! dear! Oh! la!
How funny!"
