present Guard House, used as a receptacle for deserters*; and the quarters for thirty men, and non-commissioned of ficers. This is secured by a strong buttress, and has a gateway, embellished with Henry the Seventh's arms, and the badges of the rose and portcullis; above which are two windows, projecting into a semi-sexagon." The whole has at present indications of rapid decay. The descent from the Strand is by two flights of stone steps, nearly to the depth of three stories of a dwelling house.

Extra Before this place became the possession of the earl of fales Savoy, it had been the mansion of Simon de Montfort, earl of Leicester, one of the factious barons, in the reign of Henry III. It was also the place of honourable confinement of John, king of France, in 1356, after the batAfter his release he made a visit to his brother in 1363, and died in this, his antient prison, on the following 8th of April.

tle of Poictiers.

DENMARK COURT. Here is a handsome synagogue for Jews; many of whom reside in the neighbourhood.

BEAUFORT BUILDINGS are built on the site of a ver spacious house, with a garden towards the Thames, and waste grounds and yards eastward, called WORCESTER HOUSE. Before the erection of that structure, there appears to have been another, with an extensive garden, in which grew a large walnut tree, which obstructed the eastern prospect of Salisbury House. The earl of Salisbury, therefore, by himself or agent, applied to Edward, earl of Worcester's gardener, with the promise of 100%. if he could obtain his lordship's consent to remove the tree. The gardener's lord gave his consent, with respect to the tree; but having a grudge to the earl of Salisbury, he caused to be built in its place, the large brick house we are noticing, which effectually deprived the earl of Salisbury of the prospect. This house descending to Henry, duke of Beaufort; his grace finding it ruinous from its antiquity,

Mr. Howard gives a very indifferent account of the state and acsommodations of this gaol, in his "State of Prisons," &c. 8vo, 1780.

let

let the premises rather than build a new structure; the steepness of the descent also, rendering it improper and unsafe for carriages. The duke had bought Buckingham House, at Chelsea, whither he had removed for purer air; but thought it necessary to have a smaller dwelling, for the purpose of temporary residence in town. This was

burnt through the carelessness of a servant, and out of the ruins were formed Beaufort Buildings, and the adjoining avenues.

In Worcester House, lived the great earl of Clarendon, before his own was built, and he paid for it the extravagant rent of 500l. per annum.

SOUTHAMPTON STREET is so called in compliment to lady Rachel, the excellent consort of William, lord Russel, and daughter of Thomas Wrottesley, earl of Southampton.

Hence is a spacious avenue to CONVENT GARDEN; vul garly COVENT Garden.

The ground on which this parish is built was formerly fields, thatched houses, and stables. The garden belonged to the abbot and monks of Westminster, whence it was called Convent Garden, a name since corrupted into Covent, and sometimes Common Garden. At the dissolution of religious houses it fell to the crown, and was given first to Edward, duke of Somerset; but soon after upon his attainder, reverted to the crown, and Edward VI. granted it in 1552 to John earl of Bedford, together with a field, named the SEVEN ACRES, which being afterwards built into a street, is from its length called LONG ACRE.

Here is a large square called Covent Garden market. It contains three acres of ground, and is the best market in England for herbs, fruit, and flowers. It is surrounded by a wooden rail, and a column was formerly erected in the middle, on the top of which were four sun-dials. There is a magnificent piazza on the north side of this square, designed by Inigo Jones, which, if carried round, according to the plan of the architect, would have rendered it beyond dispute one of the finest squares in Europe. There Cc 2

was

was another piazza at the south-east corner; but that being consumed by fire has not been rebuilt, on a similar plan with the other sides.

The parochial church of

ST. PAUL, COVENT GARDEN,

was erected in the year 1640, as a chapel of ease to St. Martin in the Fields, at the expence of Francis earl of Bedford, for the convenience of his tenants.

In 1645 the precinct of Covent Garden was separated from St, Martin's, and constituted an independent parish, which was confirmed after the restoration in 1660, by the appellation of St. Paul's, Covent Garden, when the patronage was vested in the earl of Bedford,

The structure is a prime specimen of the vast abilities of Inigo Jones. The earl is said to have been consulted respecting the structure, by the architect, and observed, "that a plain-looking building, a barn, would do." Jones conceived that his noble employer wished him to consult simplicity, and he took the hint, so as to make it at once plain and majestic.

The front exhibits a plain, but noble portico of the Tuscan order; the columns are massy, and the intercolumniation large. The building, though as plain as possible, is happily proportioned; the walls are of brick covered with plaister, and the corners of stone; the roof is

flat,

flat, and though of great extent, is supported by the walls alone, without columns. The pavement is stone; the windows of the Tuscan order, like the portico; the altarpiece is neatly ornamented, and the whole interior displays consistent simplicity.

This church is a rectory, in the gift of the duke of Bedford.

Two very handsome porticoes lead to spacious churchyards; that on the north side, has more remains of the Dramatis Persone of Drury Lane and Covent Garden theatres, than any place of sepulture in or about the metropolis.

"On Thursday, September 17, 1795, a fire broke out in the west end of this church, said to have been occasioned by the neglect of the plumbers, engaged in the repairs of the building. The whole interior, organ, clock, vestry room, &c. were destroyed, and several adjoining houses damaged. This beautiful edifice had been substantially repaired in 1688, at an expence of 11,000l. The roof was entirely of wood, and considered an inimitable piece of architecture. The whole was formerly insured at the Westminster Fire Office, for 10,000/; but the insurance had expired twelvemonths, and not been renewed; so that the loss fell upon the parish *. The walls, how ever, received little damage, and this relic of one of our first architects has been restored without any material deviation from the original plan. The church before its partial destruction, contained several monuments, among which were those of Sir Peter Lely, 1680; William Stoke ham, M. D. 1698; Sir John Baber, &c. On the false door in the front, next the market, is an inscription recording the event.

Before this church are usually erected the hustings for the election of parliamentary representatives for Westminster.

The original cost of the building was 6,500%. Its repairs, about six years previously to the fire, were charged at 10,000. The parishioners paid 7 per cent. for those repairs; and through this accident, occasioned by neglect, there arose an accumulation of at least 25 per cent. upon their rents.

A great

"The

The view of Covent Garden Piazza, terminated by the entrance to the theatre royal, is very interesting. loftiness of the arches, the lightness of the groins, and the long continued perspective, with the returning arcade leading to James Street, seen through the openings, produce an effect exceedingly picturesque."

"A great and regular design," says Mr. Malton, "when once carried into execution, ought to be considered as public property, and the convenience or interest of indi. viduals should not be permitted to alter its leading features; nor would this be so great a restraint on the owners of pro perty as may be imagined. Those who are most conversant with works of this nature need not be told, that whim and caprice more frequently suggest such alterations, than frugality or the wants of business. One tasteless occupier of a part of the piazza has rebuilt the superstructure without the pilasters, the cornice, or the dressings of the windows." Mr. Malton, however, in his "Picturesue Tour," has, in honour of the architect, represented the whole, as it was executed by him.

THE THEATRE ROYAL was opened in 1733; and after several alterations at various periods, was rebuilt in 1787, by Mr. Holland. It is surrounded by private buildings; but the interior is handsome, without being gaudy. This, and Drury Lane theatre, are admirably situated in the heart of this great capital; and their vicinity to each other, no doubt, produces mutual advantage. X

We have sufficiently mentioned the nature of the Hummums, and their origin, under Bagnio Court, Newgate Street. At No. 6, Tavistock Row, lived and died, the Nestor of the Stage, CHARLES MACKLIN, author of "The Man of the World, Love-a-la-Mode, &c."

TAVISTOCK STRFET, was formerly the resort of nobility and fashion, for the purchase of those articles which ornament the female form; the trade has however been, in a great degree, transferred westwardly, though a considerable traffic still continues in this place.

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