Old Houses in Holborn, ca.1878

From: A.& J. Bool

RA Collection: Art

""Behind the most ancient part of Holborn," says Dickens, "where certain gabled houses, some centuries of age, still stand looking on the public way, as if disconsolately looking for the Old Bourne that has long run dry." This is in truth one of the most picturesque groups of Old London houses. They are also among the oldest, dating apparently from the time of James I., or perhaps earlier, for Stow, writing in 1598 of Staple Inn, says: "The same of late is for a great part thereof fair built and not a little augmented" (p.146.) The obelisk, topped by a lamp, marks the City boundary. Just here, opposite to Gray's Inn Lane, stood till a few years back, Middle Row, narrowing the thoroughfare and blocking the traffic. This was the most famous and obvious example in London - a few are still left, Holywell Street being perhaps one - of "Middle Rows", encroachments on the highway where this was originally sufficiently broad to allow of the erection of temporary structures, which in time gave place to permament buildings.""

The above description, by Alfred Marks, was taken from the letterpress which accompanies the photographs. At the time of the photograph, Holborn extended from Holborn Viaduct to Holborn Bars and High Holborn from the Bars to Drury Lane.