The Sun.
London, England, 1822-12-28 00:00:00

COVENT-GARDEN.

The spot called Covent-garden—or rather
" Convent Garden," of which name it is evidently
a corruption, originally belonged to the monas-
tery of St. Peter at Westminster, and is said to
have been a retiring garden to that convent
from the earliest times. Before, and indeed af-
ter the period of the dissolution of Abbeys, it
was entirely walled round, and is so shown in
various old plans of LOndon. In the year 1552,
Edward VI. granted this now lucrative site to
John, Earl of Bedford, together with seven acres
of land, called " Long Acre," both stated to
have been part of the possessions of the Duke of
Somerset, and to have been of the then yearly
value of 6/. 6s. Bd. On receiving this grant, the
Earl built himself a town mansion, adjoining the
street now called Bedford-street, the front of j
which stood next the Strand, and which had fine
gardens at its back reaching to the site of Co-
vent-garden church. This building, which was
at first only of timber, was taken down in 1704.
About a dozen years after it was deserted by its
noble owner. At the first erection of Bedford
House, it is probable that Covent-garden formed
a sort of park or pasture to it, as we find a paper
among the Lansdown MSS. at the British Mu-
seum " concerning an attempt to kill deer in
Covent-garden," which is dated 1691, and its
walls appear standing in plans of a considerably
later date. In this state, however, it did not re-
main long, as we find that a great increase of in-
habitants in its environs, particularly in Long-
acre, occasioned the Earl of Bedford,- in the early
part of the reign of Charles I. to found a church
there, and his successors subsequently, to obtain
the Royal grant to convert the district into a
parish. Of so little value, however, was the
ground then esteemedy that Earl Francis, in 1631,
granted a lease of great part of it to John Powell
and others for 34 years, at only 17/. 6d. per ann.
rent. At this time, it is described as " all that
piece or parcel of the said Earl's pasture, called
Covent-garden and Long-acre ; one of them lying
on the south side of a parcel of ground then in-
tended for a new church-yard, and being one
hundred and eighty feet in length." In an etch-
ing of Holler's, showing it a few years afterwards,
we find the whole completely formed into a square,
one side of which, as at present, is filled up by
the church, with a house or two at each ex-
tremity, and the north and west sides by the piazzas,
Ledford-house and garden still occupying the south
side. The inner area is separated from the car-
ri4ge-way around it, by wooden posts, and in the
midst stands an ornamental column and sun-dial.
At, or near this period, we may reckon up the
following distinguished persons, among other

eminent -characters, as residents here—viz., Sir
Charles Kyngston. ' He had a house in Covent-
garden, at which King Charles 1., in 1638, esta-
blished an academy, called " Museum Minerva',"
for the instruction of Gentlemen in arts and
sciences, foreign languages, painting, architecture,
riding, fortification, antiquities, and the science
of medals.—(See Lord Orford's Works, v. iii.
p. 196.)—Lady Elizabeth Digby, in 1653.—She
lived in King-street, where the celebrated Sir
Kenelm Digby had before resided. The Earl of
Peterborough, in 1647; his house stood on the
site of Robins's auction-room, and reached back
nearly to Hart-street. At this time also, in the
western Piazza, adjoining to the site of the Shake-
speare Tavern, lived Sir John Withrong, Lord
Willmott, and Sir William Udal ; and not far

from them, Sir Henry Vane, Sir Arthur Ingram,
Sir Thos. Trenchard, Col. Thorpe, Sir Edw. Pye,
and Denzil Hollis, Esq. In 1654 and 1655, en-
tries of fines for riding out in their coaches on Sun-
days, occur in the parish books, levied on
the following persons, who then made up part of

. .
the eminent residents here :—" The French Mar-
quissee," 18s. ; the Countess of Essex, 18s.; and
the " Lady Shandois, His." The latter, it is
probable, lived near Chandois-street.—Covent
Garden Market was first established in 1671.---
The above great people had all lived there before
that date. Corning nearpr to modern times, the
names of distinguished persons resident here in-
crease, and though not all of elevated rank, are
generally, on other accounts, more interesting to
our recollection. We shall give a slight account
of them together with such notices as we have
been able to collect of particular places here, as
they occur, without adhering to strict chronolo-
gical order :
In 1690,we find the following persons inhabitants here, or in
the adjoining' streets :—Sir John Talbot; he resided in Hart.
street. 1)r. John Radcliffe, and the celebrated artist, Grinlin
Gibbons ; they both resided in Bow-street—(Gibbons died in
1721.) The Hon. Col. Russel, Lady Pye, Sir Charles Cotte-
rell, and Godfrey Kneller, Esq: all lived in the north Piazza.
Mr. Thomas Rich and Mr. Edward Bickerstaffe, lived in Rus-
sel-street; and in King-street, at the same period, we find as
residents, the Countess of Berkshire, Lady George, and Sir
John Barber.

The noted comedian Joe Haines, commonly
called " Count Haines," died in Hart-street in

1721. Earl Ferrers lived in Covent Garden, in
1722, and Sir James Thornhill opened an aca-
demy here for drawing in 1724. Of other well
known characters, particularly theatrical, inha-
bitants of the Garden or its immediate vicinity,
the list would be too long almost for insertion.
Among the most noted houses and places pecu-
liar to this celebrated spot within a little
better than a century ago, may be mentioned the
following :

Tom's, Will's, and Button's, the three coffee-houses men-
tioned so frequently by the Spectator, &c. These were the
great resort of the wits of that day, and stood at no great dis-
tance from each other. Tom's and Will's Coffee houses were
both situated en the north side of Russell-street, and Button's
opposite. Will's was the place where Dryden was laid in wait
for, and severely beaten by persons in masks. And at But-
ton's, Colley Cibber is said to have placed a bitch rod to whip
Pope, if ever he should appear again in that room. Mr.
Richardson, master of the Hotel under the Piazza, at an auc-
tion at the Shakspeare Tavern, in 1804, was enabled to adorn
his room with the Lion's Head letter-box, originally put up at
Button's by Addison.—(See Guardian, Vol. IL)
A Theatre, called " Punch's Theatre," stood
at the corner of the west Piazza, next Henrietta-
street, in 1711. The prices specified in the bills
of entertainment were, for the boxes 2s. 6d., and
pit is. 6d. No person was to be admitted in
masks or riding-hoods. This part of the piazza
was burnt, March 19, 1769. The corner, now
Harrison's Hotel, was at this time called the
Three Chairs, and had been the residence before
of the famous Mr. Dubois. Covent Garden Thea-
tre was erected by Rich, in 1732, and burnt Sep-
tember 10, 1808. A. Musical Entertainment is j

advertised to be given at the playhouse hi
vent Garden, in 1704. But as we bear of no-
other Theatre here than this, and the one called'
Punch's, just mentioned, it probably meant the'
latter. Mr. Rich and Mr. Lambert (the Scene.'
painter) were the founders of the first Beef-steak
Club, in an upper room of Covent-garden
Theatre. The second Club was held at Lang-'
ford's, now Robins's auction-room. At the corner
of James's-street, in 1711, stood a noted tavern,
called the Bumper Tavern, kept by a person
nicknamed Trusty Anthony. At this time the
best red port was sold for ss. a gallon, or ls. 6d.
per quart. The Two Golde❑ Ballss a famous
house for musical entertainments, stood at the
same period at the corner of the adjacent street,
(Hart-street.) The Rose Tavern, introduced by
Hogarth in his set of prints of the Rake's Pro-
gress, existed in Covent-garden somewhat later;
as did Moll, and Tom King's, shown in the four
times of the day, about 1730. The noted pro-
curesses Mother Thornton (see Pamela) and Mo-
ther Douglas, kept also houses of entertainment
here, Mother Thornton's residence adjoined
Robins's auction-room, westward ; and that of
Mother Douglas was next door. The latter
lived here from 1741 to 1756. The original sign
of the Shakspeare Tavern, at this corner of the
Piazza, is said to have been the performance of
Clarkson, who painted the historical picture, in
Merchant Taylors' Hall, of King Henry the
Se'venth presenting them their Incorporation
Charter. Clarkson was in high fame about 1750;
and died at Islington about 1778. In 1781
Bohea tea was sold at 265. the pound, at the
Barber's Pole, next door to the braz!er's shop
in Southampton-street. The great mansion now
appropriated to chambers, and called Govent.
garden Chambers, at the north-east corner of
Covent-garden, was built in 1716, by Admiral
Ed ward Russel, on his becoming Lord Oxford ;
and Lord Archer lived here in 1729. The
Bishop of Durham had lived on the site in 1687.
Richardson's hotel adjoining, was once Dr. Hun.
ter's, the famous anatomical lecturer. By the
column in Covent-garden market, i❑ 1672, were
exhibited splendid fire-works; and again, on some
occasion of rejoicing, in 1690. The column it-
self was taken down► in 1790. On the site of
Maiden-lane lived a Sir Cornelius Vermuden, in
1647. The cider-cellar here was much fre-
quented by Chatterton, Porson, and other lite-
rary characters. Godfrey's Chemical Laboratory
was established at the east end of it in 1680.
Some alterations appear to have taken place in
Covent-garden Church about 1684, as an entry
occurs of that date in the parish books of a pay.
ment to a Captain Johnson, for surveying it,
making a draught of a map of it as it then was,
and as it was desired to be altered. He had also
21. 3s. for drawing the lines of the sun-dial.—
Tompion, the famous clock-maker, had, the year
afterwards, 501. for a new pendulum for the
clock. Nearly opposite the church porch, the
famous quack doctors, Tuscany, Rock, and Dr.
Bossy, had at stated times their stages, where
they gave advice and medicines to the distressed
diseased gratis. It may be mentioned that, since
the Church and Piazza were burnt, Covent-garden
has been raised nearly three feet.

COAL-MARKET, DEC. 27.
Ships at Market. Ships sold
55i Newcastle - 14
4J Sunderland - - 11
Yorkshire -
1 Scotch Coal - - 0

Price.
39s Od to 4Ss 6d
40$ Od to 43s 3d
—s Od to 43s 6d.
—s Od to —s Od

•
COURSE OF EXCHANGE, December 27.
k instet dam
Ditto, at Sight l2 3
Rotterdam l2 7
Antwerp l2 6
Hamburgh B7 9 4i Us
Altona
37
Paris, 3 Day's signt 25 65 0 Us.
Ditto
Mourdeaux, ditto
Frank forton the Main
Madrid
Cadiz
Bilboa 364 El estivo
Barcelona
ievillef
Gibraltar
Leghorn
Genia. 43 -Venice, Ital. Lir 27 50
Malta 45 -Naples 39 ,
Palermo
Lisbon
Oporto
Rio Janeiro
Dublin .... 9i .. .. Cork qi pet Cent.
BULLION.

Portugal Gold, iii Coin 1.0 0 0 pet 02,
Foreign Gold, in Bars 3 17 6
New Doubloons
New Dollars 0 4 9-1
Silver in Bars, Standard 0 4 14