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[145] Revised design, New Law Courts, 30 July 1821
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Reference number
SM 53/1/19
Purpose
[145] Revised design, New Law Courts, 30 July 1821
Aspect
Plan of the main (ground) floor of the New Law Courts, incorporating the existing Court of Exchequer and Court of Common Pleas, showing the ceilings of the Courts of King's Bench, Chancery, the Vice Chancellor's Court and the Record Room, not executed
Scale
bar scale of 1/10 inch to 1 foot
Inscribed
Design for the New Courts at Westminster. / Scale of Feet / Part of Westminster Hall. / Entance into the / Court of King's Bench. / Entrance into the / Court of Common Pleas. / Entrance into the / Vice-Chancellor's Court. / Entrance into the / Court of Chancery. / Water / Closet (x 8) / Ante-room / Entrance into the / Coffee House. / Entrance Hall to the / Court of Kings Bench / the Court of Exchequer &c. / Staircase (x 4) / The Court of King's Bench. / Tribunal. (x 3) / Judge's Retiring / Room / Court of King's bench. / Attendants / Room. / Bail Court / The Court of Commons Pleas. / Judge's Retiring Room / Court of Common Pleas. / Cust[os]: Brev[ium]: / Vice Chancellor's Court. / The Vice-Chancellor's / Retiring Room / Passage. / Chancery Court. / Lobby. (x 2) / Attendants on / the Lord Chancellor. / Lord Chancellor's / Retiring Room. / Barrister's / Room (pencil) A / Books belonging to / the Court of Chancery / Hall: / Entrance into / the Court of Chancery.
Signed and dated
- 30/07/1821
30th: July 1821.
Medium and dimensions
Pencil, wash, with coloured washes of buff, blue and pink, pen, within hextuple ruled wash border, pricked for tansfer on wove paper (908 x 603)
Hand
Soane Office, draughtsman
Watermark
J Whatman / 1820
Notes
This drawing gives a revised version of the plan shown in SM 53/1/18, with numerous erasured and redrawing around the Vice Chancellor's Court and the Court of Chancery. The latter are now side by side, with the Vice Chancelllor's Room and anciliary spaces moved to the north side of the Vice Chancellor's Court. The stairwells at the rear of The Stone Building's central block have been broken through to form a passage; the staircases relocated on either side of the central block. The passage to the Bail Court turns through a curve and runs along the latter's east wall to improve circulation. A clear wish to better integrate the separate Courts and offices is manifest in this revised design. The provision of lightwells has been noticably rationalised; only four remain.
Level
Drawing
Digitisation of the Drawings Collection has been made possible through the generosity of the Leon Levy Foundation.
This catalogue of Soane’s designs for the New Law Courts was generously funded by The Worshipful Company of Mercers and The Pilgrim Trust.
If you have any further information about this object, please contact us: drawings@soane.org.uk