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[7/4] Preparatory design for the Infirmary on the east side of the proposed new Chapell Court, in the area of the Queen's Garden
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Reference number
SM volume 109/49
Purpose
[7/4] Preparatory design for the Infirmary on the east side of the proposed new Chapell Court, in the area of the Queen's Garden
Aspect
Plan
Scale
20 feet to 1 inch
Inscribed
In pen and brown ink by Hawksmoor, at top right, Reduced to 10 feet in one Inch; above plan, south; left of the plan, East; within plan, vertically, from left to right and bottom to top, Off., Officers, Officers, All is vaulted in this Corridor, area, Area, Wards for men, Wards, Wards, Wards; and with dimensions of walls and rooms across full depth of plan; and at right centre, Plan of ye East Wing of ye Chappell Court; and above with table of dimensions of depth of plan, totalling 111 : 3; and in graphite at bottom right-hand corner of plan, E; and in brown ink by C19 hand at top left-hand corner, 49
Signed and dated
- Undated but datable c.1711
Medium and dimensions
Pen and brown ink over graphite under-drawing, with additions in graphite; on small sheet of laid writing paper from an account book, marked up with ledger lines in faint pen and pink ink; 378 x 252
Hand
Hawksmoor
Watermark
small fleur-de-lis
Notes
This drawing belongs to a second phase in the design of the Infirmary in a new south court, or Chappell Court, in the area of the Queen's Garden. It is 17 bays long compared with 19 bays in the east elevation of the west wing of c.1700, [7/2]. The end-bays of its colonnade have been infilled as piers with niches.
The infirmary was probably meant to occupy both wings of the Chapel Court, otherwise the inscription on this drawing would have been more specific ('Infirmary' rather than East Wing). The inscriptions on the plan indicate separate wards for Officers and men. The lack of subdivision in the officers' wards confirms that the plan is for a hospital range rather than for ordinary ward accommodation, where the officers were given separate apartments (see [8/7] and [8/8]). In later infirmary plans of 1728 the ward accommodation is divided into smaller, heated rooms (see [11/12]).
While this design has clearly been developed from the design represented by the long west elevation, [7/2], it does not indicate how the infirmary would link with the two main southern courts of the hospital. This omission is made good on the larger scaled finished drawing, [7/6]. Hawksmoor's uncertainty about the treatment of the link with the main hospital buildings is apparent from his re-drawing of the window openings in the northern end blocks of the present design, which he confirmed in pen and ink on [7/6].
The infirmary was probably meant to occupy both wings of the Chapel Court, otherwise the inscription on this drawing would have been more specific ('Infirmary' rather than East Wing). The inscriptions on the plan indicate separate wards for Officers and men. The lack of subdivision in the officers' wards confirms that the plan is for a hospital range rather than for ordinary ward accommodation, where the officers were given separate apartments (see [8/7] and [8/8]). In later infirmary plans of 1728 the ward accommodation is divided into smaller, heated rooms (see [11/12]).
While this design has clearly been developed from the design represented by the long west elevation, [7/2], it does not indicate how the infirmary would link with the two main southern courts of the hospital. This omission is made good on the larger scaled finished drawing, [7/6]. Hawksmoor's uncertainty about the treatment of the link with the main hospital buildings is apparent from his re-drawing of the window openings in the northern end blocks of the present design, which he confirmed in pen and ink on [7/6].
Literature
Wren Society, VI, pl. 34, right
Level
Drawing
Digitisation of the Drawings Collection has been made possible through the generosity of the Leon Levy Foundation
If you have any further information about this object, please contact us: drawings@soane.org.uk