consisted in height of three stories, the ground and principal floors being the original portion of the edifice; they were constructed of red brick with stone quoins and dressings, the windows being large with rectangular openings, and made by mullions into various lights; the genuine character of the architecture being in the style of the period to which we have assigned the structure. The original doorway, which had been long closed, was near the centre; it had a circular arch with key-stone enclosed within a square frontispiece. The upper story was an addition of the latter part of the same century, the original structure having probably risen no higher than two stories. At the period of this addition being made, a new entrance nearer to the east was constructed, which was decorated with carved foliage in the Italian taste of the day; and this new doorway appears from that time to have formed the principal entrance. At the same period the interior fittings seem to have undergone a great change; the great staircase and much of the internal woodwork bore the character of the work of that century.

The outer gate, with its huge shell-formed pediment, is a striking example of the massive entrance porches to the old residences of London, of which a very few still exist. The date of this appendage is of the same period as the alterations we have just noticed.

For many years this ancient pile had been used as warehouses, and from time to time the internal fittings and ornamental work had disappeared.* In 1828 the motto of the Pouletts, "AYMES LOYAULTE," was to be seen in the windows of the principal apartment on the first floor, in yellow letters disposed in diagonal stripes, which motto was probably put there by the loyal Marquis of Winchester, in the time of Charles I., by whom the same sentence was inscribed in every window of his residence at Basing House in Hants, which he so gallantly defended against the Parliamentarians. At the same time, a large and handsome chimney-piece, richly ornamented in carved oak, existed in this apartment. The architecture was Italian, and two Ionic columns then remained; it was probably one of the original features of the mansion.

Of late years this place has been much neglected, and having been allowed to sink into a state of dilapidation, has been recently taken down, the materials being sold by public auction. As an interesting feature of ancient London, we have thought a representation of its external features worthy of preservation. E. I. C.

The greater part of the remaining ornamental woodwork has been purchased by Thomas Baylis, Esq., F.S.A., who is fitting up with it the kitchen and some of the new rooms of his house, Prior's Bank, Fulham.

[1790, Part I., p. 293.]

MONK'S HOUSE.

The house engraved in Plate I. is situate in Hanover Square, Grub Street, and is one of those vestiges of antiquity that almost bid defiance to Time. It appears that after General Monk's return from Scotland he resided at this place. The City of London after Cromwell's death being greatly divided, Monk had the military charge of it, and made this place his residence. It is not supposed to have been built for him, as the style is far different from the buildings erected at that time; but he made alterations in it, for in the stateroom there is an oval ornament in the ceiling, in the middle of which is a figure, said to be Eleanor Gwyn. The inside bespeaks it to have been once a place of magnificence; the timbers are very large, the staircases spacious, and so constructed that a horse might be ridden up and down them. Some years since it was thought necessary to take part of one wing down on account of its age, as appears by the plate; and the gentleman who now inhabits it told me he remembers, when he was about fourteen years old, a person saying, in his memory, there was not a house near it in front except Whittington's College. In short, no person but those who have seen it could suppose there was such an elegant old structure in such a situation. T. P.

III.

COUNTY OF LONDON :

THAT PORTION FORMERLY IN THE COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX.

[1806, Part II., p. 1006.]

ALDGATE HOUSE.

"At the south-east corner of Bethnal Green was a house, which lately belonged to Ebenezer Mussell, Esq. (a Middlesex Justice), who, having a taste for antiquities, and being an inhabitant of the parish in which Aldgate stood (at the time of its removal), purchased the materials and carried them to his house at Bethnal Green, where they are still preserved in an adjoining building" (Lysons' "Environs of London," ii., 32). This building, called "Aldgate House," was advertised to be pulled down, and the materials sold by auction last month. A MIDDLESEX FREEHOLDER.

[1819, Part I., p. 401.]

BANGOR HOUSE.

As a curious specimen of early domestic architecture still remaining in the Metropolis, I send you a view of the remains of the ancient residence of the Bishops of Bangor (see Plate II.).

The property of the see is thus early noticed in the Patent Rolls: "48 Edward III. Rex amortizavit Ep'o Bangoren' in successione unum messuag. unam placeam terræ, ac unum gardinum, cum aliis ædificiis, in Shoe Lane, London."

The situation of this messuage, place, other buildings, and garden, is directly at the back of St. Andrew's Court, and at the south-east corner of St. Andrew's Churchyard; and here was the town residence of the Bishops of Bangor for many ages, till the reign of Charles I.

In the time of Cromwell Parliament thought proper to restrain the number of buildings then erecting, whose journals mention that, "Sir John Barkstead, knt., in 1647, purchased of the trustees for sale of Bishop's Lands, the reversion of a messuage, with the apurtenances, situate near Shoe Lane, called Bangor House, after a term, for years then unexpired, with some waste ground, in length

168 feet, and breadth 164 feet, intending to build on it." They assign as a reason for an exemption in his favour that the place was "both dangerous and noisome to the passengers and inhabitants."

The ground is still in possession of the see, and in the memory of persons still living there was a garden, with lime-trees and rookery, whose site is usurped by some very disagreeable buildings. The ceilings of some of the rooms in the front house were, about forty years ago, ornamented with arms and crests. N. R. S.

BAYSWATER CITY CONDUIT.

[1798, Part I., pp. 293-294.]

Bayswater, where a famed conduit (Plate II., Fig. 1) is situate in the fields, is a hamlet to the parish of Paddington, and nearly equidistant from that church and the tea-gardens it gives name to in the Uxbridge Road, which were, about thirty years ago, the botanic gardens of that industrious botanist and chemist, Sir John Hill. Here he raised his plants, here culled his simples and his sweets; here his laboratory, where he distilled and prepared his essences, tinctures, and balsams, too numerous to be named, and too well known to need it.

66

This aqueduct, which was made to supply Kensington Palace, is round, and cased thick with stone, and in the upper spiral part they lap over each other tile-like, and are fastened together with iron clamps (the brick work thick within). It is of a regular circumference from the pediment or base about 8 feet, and then spires up to the point, and is capped with a ball. Its height about 20 feet; has four airlets resembling windows, with a door next the gardens plated with iron plates, over which, in an oblong square, is cut, REPD. ANNO 1632." In another part, east, the City arms, and date 1782. The water is constantly issuing from under the door through a wooden pipe, at the rate of 30 gallons an hour, and takes its course under the bridge into Kensington Gardens. I find, when this water was let to the proprietors of Chelsea Waterworks, a stipulation was made that the basin therein should be kept full. This amazing spring supplies also the basin in High Park, whence it is conveyed by a water-wheel at Hyde Park Corner to Pimlico. It also takes its subterranean course into the City, whose name and arms it bears, whose property it is, and no doubt the land also where it is built. This course is denoted by stones above ground through the fields, and in the burying-ground of St. George, Hanover Square, wherein is a bricked well and several stones with City arms, and date of 1773. There is also a well in Oxford Street, at No. 264, against a china shop, with the arms inscribed 1772; so that all the houses, I believe, thereabouts, belonging to the City lands, are supplied with it. In the centre of the conduit field is a very antique stone, much

mutilated, which seems to point out the rise of the spring, and two near the conduit, almost hid in the earth.

The tablet of Memory and Trusler also say that water was first brought to London in pipes 21 Henry III., 1237, and was fifty years in completing, Cheapside conduit not being erected till 1285; an engine at Broker Wharf 1594; New River not till 1614. So that the aqueduct under consideration seems to be that first mentioned.

Perhaps the name of Bays is derived from the original owner of the land, unless it might appertain to Bays Hall; for I learn from Thomas de Laune's "Present State of London," 1681, that there was a Bays Hall and a Worsted Hall (p 262). But it may probably mean no more than the sense our best dictionaries give the word. Bailey says, a "Bay, or pen, is a pond-head, to keep in good store of water." Accordingly, the bay or pen of the New River, which came to the capital three or four centuries after, is distinguished by the name of the New River Head. See De Laune on the opening of the New River Head. T. OSBORNE.

[1762, pp. 221-222.]

BUCKINGHAM HOUSE.

The avenues to this house are along St. James's Park, through rows of goodly elms on one hand, and gay flourishing limes on the other; that for coaches, this for walking, with the Mall lying between them. This reaches to the iron palisade that encompasses a square court, which has in the midst a great basin, with statues and waterworks, and from its entrance rises all the way imperceptibly, till you mount to a terrace in the front of a large hall, paved with square white stones mixed with a dark-coloured marble, the walls of it covered with a set of pictures done in the school of Raphael. Out of this, on the right hand, you go into a parlour, 33 feet by 39 feet, with a niche 15 feet broad for a buffette, paved with white marble, and placed within an arch, with pilasters of divers colours, the upper part of which is as high as the ceiling, which is painted by Ricci.

From hence you pass through a suite of large rooms into a bedchamber of 34 feet by 27 feet, within it a large closet that opens into a greenhouse.

On the left hand of the hall are three stone arches, supported by Corinthian pillars, under one of which you go up forty-eight steps, 10 feet broad, each step of one entire Portland stone. These stairs, by the help of two resting-places, are so very easy there is no need of leaning on the iron baluster. The walls are painted with the story of Dido, whom, though the poet was obliged to dispatch away mournfully, in order to make room for Lavinia, the better-natured painter has brought no farther than to that fatal cave, where the lovers appear just entering, and languishing with desire.

The roof of this staircase, which is 55 feet from the ground, is