5 feet to 1 inch

By Hawksmoor in brown ink at top left, The manner of y^e Infirmery, and to right of centre-line, The D.^rs pavilion, and at bottom centre, across the centre-line, The pav^ll: 63. 0 in all, and with inscribed dimensions in ink on right half of elevation; and in brown ink in C19 hand at bottom right (top right in volume), 50

• Undated, but datable c.1727-28

Pen and brown ink over graphite under-drawing, the left side of the design in graphite only. Laid paper, laid down, the right half of the sheet with staining from the glue showing through near the edge of the sheet; other marks in the centre right and centre left of the sheet, probably also associated with its pasting down in the volume in the C19 234 x 365

Hawksmoor

CDG

The design is a study for the doctors' pavilion in the north (right) or south (left) wing of the infirmary, at a stage post-dating that in [11/12] but pre-dating a version in the National Maritime Museum (see below). A half-elevation of the pavilion is drawn in ink on the right half of the sheet. Drawn in pencil on the left side of the sheet, but titled in ink,The manner of ye Infirmery, is a part-elevation of the infirmary. This part-elevation appears to have been included to show the differing floor and window levels between the infirmary and the flanking doctors' pavilion. There is a common basement, but the central arched door, drawn in ink, belongs to the doctors' pavilion. The floor heights of the infirmary are lower than those of the doctors' pavilion. There is also a narrow portion of a lower flanking range drawn in pencil at the extreme left edge of the sheet. It has a shared basement floor, two floors above this, and a parapet level with the top of the first floor of the infirmary.

While the windows of the infirmary at raised ground-floor level correspond with those of the doctors' pavilion, those above this floor are set lower. The difference in height between the tops of the two pavilions, left and right of the centre line, is nearly 5 feet, giving the doctors' pavilion grander proportions than those of the central Infirmary range.

The design is a precursor of the version at the National Maritime Museum, which is shown in a block plan of the hospital dated 1728 and in a larger-scale plan of the infirmary itself (ART/1/7 and 56; Wren Society, VI, pls 45 and 49). Both are inscribed with dimensions by Hawksmoor. Hawksmoor's inscribed width on the Soane Museum elevation 63 feet. In the larger-scaled infirmary plan, ART/1/56, the matching end-pavilions of the infirmary are 65 feet wide wide. They have central doors, but three rather than two windows on each side. The central door in the plan gives access to a corridor that runs around the entire three-block range, connecting the doctors' pavilions with the rear infirmary range (see also [11/12]).

The dating of the design to c.1728 places it within the Surveyorship of Colen Campbell (1726-29). The use of Palladian-revival motifs such as the central Venetian window and the simple classical window cornices may reflect his influence.

Downes 1979, cat. no. 379; Wren Society, VI, pl. 48

Drawing

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