of England, at Church Bank, Alnmouth, in its complete form, in a cottage
built entirely of concrete, having three rooms, scullery, and other
conveniences. The material used in the building, as we are told by the
“Builder,” is Portland cement and gravel from the sea-shore. The
foundation is in sand 6 inches thick and 18 inches wide; in this there
is a base course, and above, the walls are 9 inches in thickness. Part
of the erection is two stories in height. The roofs are all flat, and
are constructed entirely of concrete and old wire rope. The ceilings are
divided into panels by ribs at right angles, and require no plastering.
A wall on the upper floor is supported by a concrete beam with a
13-feet span; and a large cistern is formed under the roof of the pantry
for rain water. The sides of the cistern forming the walls of the
bedroom will test severely the impermeability of the material. No wood
is used except for doors, and no iron except five shillings’ worth of
old wire rope. This is said to be an experiment made by the Duke of
Northumberland.
Another experimental cottage has been constructed under Mr. Edwin
Chadwick’s superintendence at East Sheen near Mortlake. In this the
walls are formed of light iron framework filled with compressed straw,
bitumen, and concrete. The thickness of each wall complete is only about
three and a half inches. The floors are of bitumen and concrete, covered
with ordinary deal boards; the roof has the same construction as the
walls. These, inside, may be either left rough or finely smoothed,
without additional cost. In the former case it is said they resemble the
ordinary “dashes” of stuccoed cottages; in the latter they appear as if
coated with Roman cement, after the fashion of villas and town houses.
If a construction of this kind can be made durable it possesses superior
advantages to every other. In England both stone and brick are great
absorbents of moisture, causing the occupants of the houses to be
afflicted by rheumatism and other undesirable ailments. Any building
material that is non-absorbent of moisture is a great desideratum yet
unsatisfied.
An elevation of a design for a garden gate and balustrade to be formed
of concrete blocks is given in Design No. 7. It was originally intended
for the entrance to an old house in Berkshire.
* * * * *
The vignette beneath is a Swiss pattern of open woodwork used by the
author as balustrading. The construction is too simple to require
explanation.
[Illustration]
_DESIGN No. 8._
A PARK LODGE.
[Illustration: Front elevation.]
The entrance lodge to a country park may be considered as a superior
kind of cottage; it is
[Illustration: Ground plan.]
often occupied by some favourite domestic or other attaché of the
family. It is usually placed in a prominent position, dressed with
surrounding trees, and with the accompanying gates, posts, and rails.
Considerable attention is always paid to the lodge.
[Illustration: Back front.]
An ugly one is an exception, and is very seldom seen. In most cases the
lodge is similar in character to the mansion to which it permits
approach: a Gothic house, hence has a Gothic lodge, and an Elizabethan
[Illustration: Section.]
house a lodge of the same character; frequently it is in the Rustic
style that would suit either. Of this the present design and the
following are examples.
This design was made for one story only, and it is placed so as to
command, or have a view of two roads by which it can be approached; the
plan shows a living room, 13 ft. by 13 ft., a scullery, _g_, 12 ft. by 9
ft, a larder, _h_, and two sleeping rooms. It has a porch, formed with
trunks of trees, enclosing a seat or bench. The back front is made of a
pleasing character, having a covered way to the closet and coal cellar,
_l_.
The section shows the height of the rooms, 11 × 6 from floor to collar
beam. The construction was to have been in the common fashion in brick,
with red brick facing, and compo dressings round the windows and top of
chimney stack, the latter in cut red brick. An erection of this kind
could not be completed under a cost of about 370_l._
[Illustration: Plaster cornice for a drawing-room.]
_DESIGN No. 9._
A PARK LODGE.
[Illustration: Front elevation.]
[Illustration: Ground plan.]
This design was a second study for the same small building illustrated
in the previous design. It was intended for a different site, and so
placed as to command only one road of approach. It could have been seen
for nearly two miles previous to reaching it, and was placed about
twenty feet behind the entrance gates; the front had a rustic porch
intended to contain rustic seats. The plan shows a living room 18 feet
by 14, a small scullery, _g_, larder, _h_, and two sleeping rooms each
13 feet by 10 feet. The section is taken through the centre of the
building, showing the front and back porch. It could be constructed for
about 375_l._
[Illustration: Section.]
Either of these lodges could be constructed in concrete, the walls twice
the thickness, the chimney stock in brick and cement, and their cost
would be reduced.
_DESIGN No. 10._
AN ENTRANCE LODGE TO A PARK
This lodge stands within an ancient park in Kent. It occupies a
triangular piece of ground and commands three roads of approach. The
building is
[Illustration: Perspective view.]
strictly in accordance with the style of the old family mansion within
the park itself, which is a celebrated structure of the times of
Elizabeth and James I. The
[Illustration: Ground plan.]
perspective view represents the lodge as seen from the avenue of trees
within the park, the road coming
[Illustration: The front elevation.]
between. In the ground plan, p. 105, _a_ is the porch, _b_ the living
room, _c_ the scullery, and _d_ the larder; _g_ are the steps leading to
a vault under the stairs, used for coals, and _f_ is the stone cover
over the dry well. Considerable care and attention were
[Illustration: Perspective view of back and side fronts, from a
photograph.]
bestowed in working out the details of this building, which was wholly
erected by the workmen of the estate, with bricks and stone also from
the estate. The lower part or plinth of the structure is of ashlar
ragstone in random courses, the top course header faced, the joints
worked fair, and a sunk splay in the top tooled fair, the course rising
nine inches on the
[Illustration: Plan of upper floor.]
face, with an average depth in the bed of eleven inches. The string over
the lower windows is in moulded brick,
[Illustration: Plan of roof timbers.]
faced with compo,--the gables and the chimneys are constructed and
finished with cut red bricks. The
[Illustration: Side elevation.]
[Illustration: Details of entrance porch.]
finials, of which there are three, are copied from those of the old
mansion, and cost each 3_l._ The front and side elevations are here
given, together with the details of the entrance porch. The columns were
formed of trunks of trees, with an entablature and pediment of brick
tiles and compo, with iron ties securing the whole.
[Illustration: Finial.]
[Illustration: Finial.]
The brick walls were splashed externally in four colours, black, white,
red, and yellow, which gave a very pleasing tone of colour to the whole.
The plan
[Illustration: Section.]
of the upper floor shows the rooms like the lower, each of the average
length of 21 and a width of 10 feet. The staircase leads conveniently to
the two upper rooms; _a_ is a trap-door to permit furniture and large
baggage to be lifted up from below. The sections show the construction
of the roof, the timbers of which were firmly secured by iron straps, _b
b_. The chimney forms a prominent feature in the centre of the building,
the construction of which is shown in the annexed cut; _c_ are corbel
bricks, _b_ the iron strap.
[Illustration: Section.]
The last two illustrations are sections through the coal-cellar and the
dry well. The photographic view shows the small circular gable over the
staircase. There are only six of these gables, as a seventh could not be
obtained, or it might have been called the “house with the seven
gables.” The structure cost 526_l._, the cottage design No. 2, on the
same estate, 311_l._, both in full.
[Illustration: Plan and section of chimney stack.]
_DESIGN No. 11._
AN ENTRANCE LODGE AND GATEWAY TO A PARK.
[Illustration: Perspective view.]
The first erection of an entrance lodge and gateway to a country park,
is often considered of sufficient importance to meet with very full and
careful
[Illustration: Ground plan.]
consideration. If the park is an ancient one, the old castellated style
for the entrance lodge will mark its character, and it is generally
chosen, although the
[Illustration: Plan of upper floor.]
building or mansion within the park itself may be of more recent style.
The family architect, in such cases, will have to make various sketches
before one is selected that gives general satisfaction. The castellated
Tudor design shown in the perspective view, was the first one made under
such circumstances, and several designs were submitted before it was put
aside, and one selected similar in style and character to the mansion
within the park, and which was soon carried out.
[Illustration: Front elevation of lodge.]
The ground plan, p. 113, shows the lodge to have very little
accommodation, one small room 15 feet by 11 feet, with a scullery
attached; indeed, one of the principal reasons for giving up the design
was that the steep character of the ground did not admit a larger
erection. The staircase of the lodge led to one upper room over the
gateway; this was 13 feet by 13 feet. The elevation of the lodge is
shown at p. 114.
[Illustration: Elevation of half gate.]
[Illustration: A]
[Illustration: B]
[Illustration: C]
[Illustration: D]
The details are plain and bold; a shield of arms with quatrefoils is
placed over the side entrance; these and the ornaments on the bay-window
are the chief enrichments.
The lodge was to have been erected with ragstone ashlar for the quoins
and red-brick facing for walls,--the bay-window and all the strings and
battlements were to be in Caen stone. The iron gates were to be of
wrought iron in the olden style. An elevation of one of the gates is
given, showing a thin ornamental pattern within a strong iron frame.
[Illustration: Elevation of second design.]
The parts, ¼ full size, are shown; _a_ is the top rail, _b_ the circular
bar, _c_ a section and elevation of the hanging rail, and _d_ the
meeting bar.
The accommodation required by the gate-keeper who was to occupy the
lodge was greater than could be well provided on the site the building
was to stand on. What he did ask for was given in a second
[Illustration: Ground plan.]
design, which, as it shows a different treatment of the elevation, is
here illustrated. In this the rooms are
[Illustration: Plan of upper floor.]
larger, as may be seen by the ground plan; _c_, the back room, is
intended to be used as a boy’s sleeping room; _h_ is the larder under
the stairs, and _l_ is a place for coals. The upper plan shows the room
over the gateway; a second room was to be added by taking up the walls
of the lodge.
[Illustration: Details of bay-window, second design.]
The elevation of this design was considered more quaint and
characteristic of the olden style than the first; its window is copied
from one at the old gatehouse to the abbey at Montacute in
Somersetshire, both as to dimensions and detail. It is rather late in
style, and not a very good example, but it is here given with a few
sections and details to a larger scale.
* * * * *
The vignette affords a plan of an old English garden with its labyrinth,
fountains, fishponds, and flower beds.
[Illustration]
_DESIGN No. 12._
A STOVE FOR AN ENTRANCE HALL
[Illustration: Elevation of stove.]
This stove is intended to fill a recess in the hall of a Baronial
Mansion, placed on a marble pavement with groups of ancient armour,
pikes and
[Illustration: Plan of stove.]
helmets, and the other like warlike implements of ancient times,
surrounding it. The plan shows its interior to be filled with fire-clay.
It is only a
[Illustration: The front of stove, the shield or door open.]
[Illustration: Side of stove.]
[Illustration: Section of stove.]
common iron stove, but with a more artistic outline or figure than is
generally seen; the section shows the construction. A moveable box is
placed within the pedestal to receive the ashes; the smoke flue leaves
at the back; the helmet opens to receive a cup of water; the section
shows the construction. When the shield is open the fire is seen; this
could be made partly open, so as to allow the fire to be wholly closed
in.
* * * * *
The vignette is a portion of a French design for an iron balconet. In
France these balconets are regarded as necessary protections at the
window openings. In England they are used chiefly for holding flowers.
[Illustration]
_DESIGN No. 13._
QUEEN’S GATE LODGE, HYDE PARK.
The formation of that new and important suburb of London, known as
Queen’s Gate, South Kensington, resulted, as is well known, from the
exertions of His Royal Highness the Prince Consort. It
[Illustration: First design, Gate Entrance to Hyde Park.]
promises soon to become the most fashionable and attractive portion of
the Metropolis, as the land is engaged for the purpose of applying it to
national objects connected with the Arts and Sciences, by the
[Illustration: Perspective view of Lodge, Queen’s Gate.]
[Illustration: Ground plan.]
[Illustration: Basement plan.]
Government. Consequently, with the beauty of the situation, this has led
to the erection of a large number of first-class mansions of the value
of from 20,000_l._ each to 3000_l._ (leaseholds.) The author of this
work, at the time of the purchase by the Government, was surveyor to the
principal estate in that locality--that of the late Charles, Earl of
Harrington;
[Illustration: Perspective view of Lodge opposite the Exhibition Road,
Hyde Park.]
and an opening to Hyde Park, for the chief new road, being granted by
Government, he had to submit designs for the new entrance lodge and
gates to the Commissioner of Public Works. The first design he had made
had previously been submitted to the Prince. It was on a large scale, an
archway being placed in the centre, with gates and lodges on each side.
But as the new entrance had to be made at the expense of the builders of
the Harrington Estate, designs of a more modest character were chosen.
[Illustration]
Lord Llanover, then Sir Benjamin Hall, was the Chief Commissioner of
Public Works, and took great interest in the designs, repeatedly
visiting the spot, and having various studies made; indeed the works
were carried out under his supervision and direction.
The opening into Hyde Park was 140 feet in length; this was filled up by
the gates and railings, a lodge being placed within the park.
[Illustration: Front elevation.]
[Illustration: Side elevation.]
The view shows the lodge as it was erected by Mr. Aldin, one of the
building lessees of the Harrington estate; it cost him about 800_l._ The
iron gates and railing were put up by Mr. W. Jackson, the chief building
lessee on the same estate, at a cost which amounted to upwards of
2000_l._
[Illustration: Section through length of building.]
The lodge contains two rooms on the ground floor the front room being 17
feet by 12 feet, the back room 13 feet by 11 feet. The basement has two
rooms of the same size; with a small yard, a place for coals, and a dry
area surrounding the whole. The plans are shown under the perspective
view; the front and side elevations on page 128; the small portico has
the centre columns without rusticated blocks, so that no square edges
or projecting parts obstruct the entrance of persons into the lodge.
[Illustration: Cross section.]
The section through the length of the building shows the two upper and
the two lower rooms, with the sunk yard; it does not show clearly the
section of the ground outside the building; the level of this is 18
inches below the floor of the upper rooms. The basement is completely
buried, but as the small structure stood upon a mound and was protected
by a dry area, this was of little consequence. The cross section next
given shows the level of the outside ground correctly, with the two dry
areas. Over this cross section are given two small details of the
construction of the roof.
The building was of stone and brick, the ashlar front of the walls Bath
stone, and the cornice of Portland--this was made so as to form the
gutter.
The lodge has lately been taken down, and reconstructed on the opposite
side of the entrance gate. So completely was this done that only one
small block of stone was required to complete it, and this was only a
replacement of one broken. The structure itself has been reproduced by
the Government as a lodge opposite to the Exhibition Road. In the cut at
page 127, is given a section through the portico and a section through
the end wall.
The first design, made by the author, was intended to embody the views
of His Royal Highness Prince Albert, in regard to the arrangement of the
buildings for the purpose of Science and Art then proposed to be erected
on the newly purchased estate. They comprised one for the collection of
Pictures, at that time occupying only half the building at Trafalgar
Square; this, the New National Gallery, was to be surrounded with other
structures, affording ample accommodation for the chief learned and
Artistic Societies of London. A large central Hall of Arts and Sciences
was to be placed in their midst; the whole to form a metropolitan
institution for the promotion of scientific and artistic knowledge as
connected with industrial pursuits. It is well known that the surplus
funds of the Exhibition of 1851, amounting to the sum of 150,000_l._,
were offered by the Royal Exhibition Commissioners at the instance of
the Prince, for the purpose of carrying out this grand conception. The
report of the House of Commons’ Committee on the National Gallery
strongly recommended the offer to be accepted, and Parliament at first
assenting, voted another sum of like amount for carrying out the entire
project. The sum of 300,000_l._ was found, however, insufficient for
purchasing the whole of the ground required, and a further grant of from
25,000_l._ to 27,000_l._ was voted by Parliament, and a sum of
15,000_l._ was given by the Royal Commissioners. Mr. Cubitt was engaged
to obtain the ground, and the roads through the Harrington estate were
planned by him in conjunction with the author, who aided him to the
utmost of his power in obtaining the land requisite to complete the site
required for the various buildings proposed to occupy it. The site was
2100 feet in length, by an average breadth of 1200 feet, and consisted
of about 56 acres; the level of the ground on the north of Kensington
being about 36 feet higher than the portion at Brompton. Another block
of land, upon which the Department of Science and Art is at present
placed, made a space with an average width of 700 feet--in the whole 86
acres.
In sketching the design for the general building, of which a bird’s-eye
view is here given, the author only took the 56 acres--the view shows
only that portion of the building facing the Prince Albert’s Road, now
called Queen’s Gate. It is placed in the centre of the land, so as to
have large open grounds surrounding it. These at any time could have
been covered up for the purpose of national exhibitions similar to those
of 1851 and 1862. By putting the level of the ground floor of the new
building about ten feet above that of the Kensington Road, a
sub-basement would have been obtained, over 30 feet in height, affording
ample space for arranging and storing works of art, as well as for
receiving articles to be exhibited, or a great portion of them, from the
upper parts of the building should the latter be wanted for any special
purpose, and affording room likewise for all minor business departments.
The Hall of Arts and Sciences was to be placed in the centre of the mass
of building: a portion of the dome is seen in the view at the upper
left-hand corner. This room was to be made 300 feet in length, by 180 in
width. Two galleries for paintings, each 1000 feet in length and 80 feet
in breadth, were to be placed on each side of the Central Hall. The
sculptures from the British Museum were to be deposited in the central
smaller halls of approach. The various Societies were to occupy the
side-wings,
[Illustration: View of Queen’s Gate, Hyde Park, with the National
Gallery and other buildings, as suggested by His Royal Highness the late
Prince Consort.]
each having its meeting and lecture room, and all necessary offices and
apartments. The public were to enter at the porticoes seen in the view,
and the carriages of the professors at the gateways in front. Two roads
were proposed traversing the ground from north to south, and giving easy
access for vehicles to every part of the building.
In the small block plan attached to the view, placed on the upper
right-hand corner, _b_ is the Prince Albert’s Road, _a_ the Exhibition
Road, and _c_ and _d_ the roads north and south.
The design was placed before the Prince at one of the Architects’
meetings at the Earl de Grey’s, and it was exhibited at the Royal
Academy in the same year. The House of Commons, however, after granting
such a large sum of money for the purchase of the land, expressed its
disapproval of removing the National Gallery from the present position,
said to be the finest site in Europe, and the Fellows of the Royal
Academy were informed that the portion of the building they then
occupied would be added to that of the gallery. A view of the gates and
lodge as at present executed is here given.
[Illustration]
It cannot be supposed that a sum of 340,000_l._ would have been expended
by the nation for the purpose of giving the Horticultural Society a
perpetual lease of the best portion of the estate purchased. It is
already evident that the gardens are not well situated there. The smoke
of the district will not permit the growth of delicate plants, and their
exhibitions are supplied from the gardens at Chiswick. In much less than
fifty years their grounds will probably be the centre of London, and
consequently the noble conception of His Royal Highness has still a good
chance of being carried into effect. The Society will be smoked out when
the city bounds are extended. The present National Gallery building will
be wanted either for a Bank of England or a Royal Exchange, and my Lord
Mayor may follow the example of the India Directors, and leave the
Mansion House, to move to Whitehall. A tunnel under the Exhibition Road
takes visitors into the grounds direct from the railway, that now makes
them as easy of access from the heart of the City as Charing Cross
itself.
A few remarks may be made here on the great rise which takes place in
the value of land in any fashionable neighbourhood of London required
for the erection of buildings.
The Harrington estate at Kensington Gore, containing in the whole 93a.
3r. 27p., was the joint property of the Earl of Harrington and of the
Baron de Villars, through the right of his wife, the Baroness de
Graffenried Villars. Previous to 1848 it had been some time in Chancery.
In that year Mr. John Gaunt Lye was appointed auditor and agent to the
fifth Earl of Harrington for the whole of the property. The rental of
the Kensington Gore estate amounted at this time to 2779_l._ 9_s._ per
annum. Through Mr. Lye’s exertions, he having received a power of
attorney for the purpose, the estate was taken out of Chancery, and a
division took place on the 7th May, 1850, at Mr. Lye’s office in
Lancaster Place. For the purpose of division, one portion--that charged
with maintaining the Cromwell Almshouses--was valued at 41,996_l._, and
the other at 40,552_l._ Cards representing each portion were placed in a
hat, and the one representing the 41,996_l._, was taken out by the
Baron.
In 1851 the Earl’s portion was let to Mr. W. Jackson on a building
agreement for 99 years, at 100_l._ per acre, or 4600_l._ per annum. In
1852 the Baron de Villars sold his moiety to the Royal Commissioners for
the Exhibition of 1851 for the sum of 153,793_l._ The Commissioners only
wanted a small portion of the Earl’s property. The first offer made by
Mr. Cubitt to the surveyor of the estate was 40,800_l._ for 17 acres,
or at the rate of 2400_l._ per acre. This was declined, and after a
little negotiation the sum of 54,716_l._ was obtained. The matter was
settled on the 7th of March, 1853; Mr. Jackson the builder received
7964_l._ as compensation for the loss of so much of his building land.