Lincoln's Inn Fields - West Side, ca.1882

From: Henry Dixon & Son

RA Collection: Art

"Lincoln's Inn Fields were already "much planted about with Dwellings and Lodgings of Noblemen and Gentlemen of qualite," when in 1618, James I. appointed a Commission for laying them out according to a regular plan. He thus begins: "know yee that it is noe small contentment unto Us that, within theis sixteene yeares of our Raigne over our Kingdom of England, there have been more publique Works neer and about our Citie of London undertaken and finished then in Ages heretofore." He goes on: "And that the said Closes and Groundes commonlie called Lincoln's Inne Feildes, according to your Wisdomes and Discretions may be framed and reduced both for Sweetnes, Uniformitie amd Comelines into such Walkes, Partitions or other Plotts, and in such sorte, manner and forme, both for publique Health and Pleasure, as by the said Inago Jones is or shall be accordingly drawne by way of Mapp or Ground Plott, exhibited plained and set out and approved by Us." (Rymer's Foedera, vol. xvii., p.120). The Commission relates only to laying out the Fields, but Jones probably designed all the houses originally built on the West side, with the exception of Newcastle House. They are now nearly all plastered over and painted, but what they were originally (with the exception of Lindsey House, which was built of stone) can be seen in a house at the extreme south-west corner of the Fields, behind other more modern houses. This house, in its original state, is of red brick, the bases, bands and capitals of the pilasters and the architraves being of stone."

The above description was written by Alfred Marks and taken from the descriptive letterpress which accompanies the photographs.

The photograph shows the exteriors of no.54 (part of the Portuguese Embassy) and no.55 Lincoln's Inn Fields with no.54 extending over the archway to Sardinia Street. The original house, dating from around 1640, was occupied by the Duke of Bath. It was to suffer damage through rioting in 1688 and later from fire in 1759. In 1824 the building was divided. In the late nineteenth century, all the houses which ran from No.2 Portsmouth Street to No.60 Lincoln's Inn Fields were in danger of demolition, in advance of the Kingsway Scheme of 1909. Protests were made to the London County Council, one of which was by the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings. Signatories included the Academicians, Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Sir Aston Webb and John Singer Sargent. Although the last four houses were reprived, no. 54, as shown in Dixon's photograph, was demolished in 1900.