Drawings of Old London

by Philip Norman

48. Dean's Court, St. Paul's Churchyard, 1894 (Water-colour).

The Deanery stands in Dean's Court, and the wall enclosing it is here shown on the left, the artist's standpoint being very close to that in No. 47. In 1894 great changes took place at this spot, which had before been singularly quiet and old-fashioned. The entrance from St. Paul's Churchyard was, before, through an archway, under a house dating from immediately after the Great Fire, which was said traditionally to have been used by Wren as an office during the rebuilding of St. Paul's. This house appears in course of demolition, while the ground on the right lies vacant, and we are thus enabled to have a glimpse of the cathedral, soon afterwards again quite concealed. The buildings to the east, facing St. Paul's Churchyard, together with the Vicar-General's office and other houses on the same side of Dean's Court, were cleared away to enable Messrs. Pawson and Co. to extend their warehouses, the Ecclesiastical Commissioners having granted them a building lease for that purpose. Dean's Court did not actually form part of the precincts of Doctors' Commons (finally cleared away in 1867), but was associated with it and in its immediate neighbourhood. Sam Weller, in "Pickwick," thus humourously refers to the entrance:—"St. Paul's Churchyard—low archway on the carriage side, bookseller's at one corner, hotel on the other, and two porters in the middle as touts for licences." It was here that his father was inveigled into matrimony.

(834 × 638) D. 74-1896.

49. St. Paul's Churchyard, laid out as a Garden (Black and white).

The present cathedral of St. Paul is the third dedicated to that Saint and built more or less on the same site. The first was founded in the early part of the seventh century by Ethelbert, King of Kent; the second, known as old St. Paul's, was begun A.D. 1087. This, having been destroyed by the Great Fire, was replaced by the present marvellous building, which we owe to the genius of Sir Christopher Wren. It will thus be seen that St. Paul's Churchyard has had hallowed associations for about 1,300 years. The name, in its fullest sense, is applied to the irregular area surrounded by houses encircling the cathedral and including the burial-ground. These houses, before the Fire and for some time afterwards, were largely inhabited by booksellers and publishers, who by degrees worked their way into Paternoster Row, where they still flourish. For many years after burials had ceased, the burial-ground attached to St. Paul's was in a somewhat neglected condition. In 1877 an agreement was entered into between the City Corporation and the Dean and Chapter, by which the former pledged themselves to lay out a considerable sum on the enclosed space if they were allowed to convert it into a garden for the benefit of the public, and on September 14th, 1879, the north-eastern part, which is here represented, was publicly opened by the Lord Mayor. Here the weary may sit amidst trees and flowers beneath the shadow of the great cathedral, and enjoy seclusion from the turmoil of City life. The scene here represented is, however, a thing of the past. The fountain has disappeared, and with it most of the pigeons, its place being taken by a cross erected under the will of the late Mr. H. C. Richards, as a memento of the old St. Paul's Cross.

(614 × 858) D. 75-1896.

50. The Yard of the Swan with Two Necks, 49, Carter Lane, 1894 (Water-colour).

There has been more than one hostelry with this sign in the City of London. The most famous was the Swan with Two Necks in Lad Lane, at one time owned by Mr. William Chaplin, perhaps the greatest coach proprietor that ever lived. After the advent of railways, in partnership with Mr. Horne, he established the great carrying business which still flourishes on the old site in Lad Lane, now absorbed by Gresham Street. The Swan with Two Necks, in Carter Lane, was also a coaching house, but although picturesque, of comparatively small importance. Outside was a painted sign, placed flat against the wall, and visible from Dean's Court. Times having changed, the building in front became an ordinary public-house, while the galleried portion was occupied by persons in the employment of Messrs. Pawson, the great warehousemen. This drawing was made in October, 1894, when the place had just been vacated, having been taken over by the Post Office authorities. It was shortly afterwards destroyed, and a Post Office Savings Bank has been built on the site. The origin of the sign may be thus explained. The swans on the upper reaches of the Thames are owned respectively by the Crown and the Dyers' and Vintners' Companies of the City of London, and, according to ancient custom, the representatives of these several owners make an expedition each year up the river and mark the cygnets. The Royal mark used to consist of five diamonds, the Dyers' of four bars and one nick, and the Vintners' of the chevron or letter V and two nicks. The word "nicks" has been corrupted into "necks," and as the Vintners were often tavern-keepers, the Swan with Two Necks became a common sign. The swan-marks which I have described continued in use until the year 1878, when the swanherds were prosecuted by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, on the ground that they inflicted unnecessary pain. Although the prosecution failed, the marks have since been simplified.

(61116 × 858) D. 72-1896.