27 CUPER'S GARDENS, LAMBETH, FROM THE RIVER.
Watercolour. 15-1/2 by 6-3/4 in.
These gardens, over against Somerset House in the Strand, were named after Boydell Cuper, gardener to Thomas, Earl of Arundel, who, when Arundel House was taken down, moved some of the mutilated marbles there, and opened them as a place of popular amusement. It continued to be thus used, and was famous for its fireworks. Degenerating in character, it was suppressed about the year 1753. On the site Messrs. Beaufoy established their works; they moved to South Lambeth when Waterloo Bridge (which runs over part of the gardens) was erected. The watercolour hardly looks as if it were earlier than the date of the closing of the gardens. Perhaps there was no great change in the entrance for some years.
Lent by Sir E. Coates.
28 THE NURSERY, GOLDEN LANE.
Watercolour. 6-1/4 by 8-1/4 in.
Wrongly named the Fortune Play House, Golden Lane. The latter, originally built for Henslowe and Alleyn according to contract, "the frame to be sett square," was destroyed by fire in 1621, and was replaced by a fabric of circular plan soon afterwards. In 1661 its site was advertised to be let for building.
The "Nursery," here depicted, was a school for the education of children for the stage, having been erected as the result of a patent granted by Charles II to one of the Legge family. It was drawn by J. T. Smith, who called it the Queen's Nursery. The present watercolour was the original of an engraving in Wilkinson's "Londina Illustrata."
George Shepherd devoted himself to topographical work. There are many watercolours of old London buildings by him in the Coates and Crace collections and elsewhere, executed from about 1792 to 1830 (his name being thus spelt), and they are good records.
By G. Shepherd, 1811. Lent by H.M. the King.
29 ST. PAUL'S FROM AN ARCH OF BLACKFRIARS BRIDGE.
Watercolour. 6-3/4 by 8-1/4 in.
By T. Malton the Younger (1748-1804).
Lent by Mr. A. A. Allen.
