Scale
(30) to a scale (31, 32) bar scales of 1/15 inch to 1 foot (33-35) to a scale of 1/15 inch to 1 foot
Inscribed
(30) (title within Roman label) A Plan to Render the House of Lords and the Rooms and / Offices Appertaining Thereto more Commodious and below, list of rooms with dimensions: The House of Lords // The King's Robing Room --- 43' by 32'.0" / Anti-Room for his Attendants --- 34.0 [by] 13.0 / The Prince of Wales --- 31.0 [by] 20.0 / Anti Room for his Attendants --- 18.0 [by] 11.0 / The Duke of Glocester (sic) and the Rest of / the Royal Family --- 21.0 [by] 18.0 / Anti Room for his Attendants --- 16.0 [by] 11.0 / The Lord Great Chamberlain --- 29.0 [by] 22.0 / Anti Room for his Attendants --- 22.0 [by] 16.0 // The Earl Marshall --- 29.0 [by] 22.0 / The Lords Robing Room --- 38.6 [by] 26.0 / Anti Room for the Attendants --- 17.6 [by] 12.6 / The Lord Chancellor --- 26.0 [by] 23.0 / Anti Room for his attendants --- 23.0 [by] 10.0 / Waiting Room --- 23.0 [by] 18.0 / The Archbishops --- 11.0 [by] 10.0 / The Bishops --- 20.0 [by] 15.0 / The Clerk of Parliament --- 28.0 [by] 19.0 / Assistant Clerk of Parliament --- 20.0 [by] 19.0 / The Clerks Room --- 16.0 [by] 16.0 / The Black Rod --- 20.0 [by] 12.6 / The Serjeant at Arms --- 20.0 [by] 14.0 / The Council Attending the House --- 20.0 [by] 14.6 / The Witnesses Attending the House --- 20.0 [by] 13.0 / The Committee Room --- 43.0 [by] 20.0 / The Library and Journals --- 50.0 [by] 20.0 / The Conference Room --- 82.0 [by] 24.0 / The Court of Requests --- [blank] / The Servants Room --- 20.6 [by] 16.0, labelled: The River Thames, Mr Delavalls / House, Abingdon Street, Mr Wilberforce, Mr Wharton, Mr Cowper, Mr Rose, Old Palace Yard, Part of King Henry / the Seventh's / Chapel and rooms labelled: Arcade for Carriages / and / Coffee Houses over it, The Hall / for the Lords, The Lords / Entrance, Porte Cochere, The Hall, Waiting Room / for / Servants, Court of Requests, Library / and / Journals, The / The (sic) Painted Chamber / and Conference Room, The / Lords Robing Room, The / Witnesses, The / Committee Room, The / Black Rod, The / Serjeant at Arms, Waiting Room, The Bishops, The / Lord Chancellor, The / House of Lords, The / Robing Room / for / His Majesty, Attendants on / the Prince, The / Prince of Wales (pencil: door, Lord Chancellor), Court (twice), Anti-Room (pencil, Ld Gt Cham), The / Clerk of Parliament (pencil, Com), The / Clerks Room, The / Assistant Clerk / of Parliament (pencil, Mr Cowper) and Earl Marshall (pencil, Mr Rose) together with doorkeepers' lobbies and anterooms
(31) labelled C and as drawing 1 (without pencil amendments and a few line breaks vary), additionally The River Thames
(32) (title within Roman label) A Plan to Render the House of Lords and the Rooms and Offices / Appertaining Thereto more Commodious and below, list with dimensions: The House of Lords --- 71.6 by 31'6" / The King's Robing Room --- 48.0 [by] 28'.0" / Anti-Room for his Attendants --- 28'.0 [by] 18.0 / The Prince of Wales --- 28.0 [by] 24.0 / Anti Room for his Attendants --- 15.0 [by] 9.0 / The Duke of Glocester and the Rest of / the Royal Family --- 26.0 [by] 21.0 / Anti Room for his Attendants --- 17.0 [by] 10.0 / The Lord Great Chamberlain --- 21.6 [by] 21.6 / Anti Room for his Attendants --- 21.6 [by] 10.6 // The Earl Marshall --- 24.0 [by] 21.6 / The Lords Robing Room --- 40.0 [by] 26.0 / Anti Room for the Attendants --- 48.0 [by] 8.6 / The Lord Chancellor --- 28.0 [by] 20.0 / Anti Room for his attendants --- 20.0 [by] 12.0 / Waiting Room --- 20.0 [by] 17.0 / The Archbishops [blank], The Bishops [blank] / The Clerk of Parliament --- 21.6 [by] 19.6 / Assistant Clerk of Parliament --- 21.6 [by] 10.6 / The Clerks Room --- 28.0 [by] 13.0 / The Black Rod [blank] / The Serjeant at Arms [blank] / The Council Attending the House --- 20.0 [by] 12.6 / The Witnesses Attending the House --- 20.0 [by] 17.6 / The Committee Room [blank] / The Library and Journals --- 50.0 [by] 20.0 / The Conference Room [blank] / The Court of Requests --- [blank] / The Servants Room --- 21.6 [by] 15.0, labelled The River Thames, Mr Delavals / House, Parliament Passage, Abingdon Street, Mr Wilberforce, Mr Wharton, Mr Cowper, Mr Rose, Old Palace Yard, Part of King Henry / the Sevenths / Chapel and rooms labelled: Arcade for Carriages / and / Coffee Houses over it, The Hall / for the Lords, The Lords / Entrance, Porte Cochere, The / Hall, Waiting Room / for / Servants, The Court of Requests, Library / and / Journals, Council / Attending / the House, Gallery for the Lords Attendants, The / Committee Room, The Lords / Robing Room, The Painted Chamber / and / Conference Room, Court, The Duke of / Glocester / and the rest / of the Royal / Family, Attendants on the Duke, The / House of Lords, Black Rod, the / Serjeant at Arms, The / Archbishops, The Lord Chancellor, The / Clerk of Parliament, The / Assistant Clerk / of Parliament, The / Clerks Room, Court, Court, The / Prince of Wales, The / Earl Marshall, The / Attendant / on / his Majesty, The / Robing Room / for / his Majesty, The / Lord Great / Chamberlain together with doorkeepers' lobbies, anterooms, waiting rooms, closets, water closets, wood and coal stores and passages
(33) labelled Old Palace Yard and Part of King Henry / the sevenths Chapel. Titled, list of rooms with dimensions and room labels - all as drawing 32
(34) labelled: Abingdon Street, Mr Wilberforce, Mr Wharton, Mr Cowper, Mr Rose and King Henry the Seventh's / Chapel, rooms labelled: (pencil) Arcade for Carriages / and / Coffee Houses over them, (pen) The Hall / for the Lords, The Lords / Entrance, The Hall, The Servants, The Court of Requests, Library / and / Journals, Council / attending the House, Witnesses / attending / the House, The Painted Chamber / and / Conference Room, Court, Attendants / for the / Lords, The Lords / Robing Room, The / Committee Room, The Black Rod, The / Serjeant at Arms. Court, The / Clerk's Room, The Assistant / Clerk of Parliament, The / Clerk of Parliament, The / Lord Chancellor, The Bishops, The / Archbishops, Robing Room / for / his Majesty, Court, Court, Attendants / on the Prince, The / Prince of Wales, The Duke of Glocester / and the rest / of the Royal Family. The Lord Great Chamberlain together with doorkeepers' lobbies, anterooms, staircases, passages and water closets
(35) (title within Roman label) A Plan to Render the House of Lords and the Rooms and Offices / appertaining thereto more commodious and below, list of rooms with dimensions: The House of Lords --- 71.6 by 31.6 / The Kings Robing Room --- 43.0 [by] 21.0 / Anti Room for his Attendants --- 26.0 [by] 15.0 / The Prince of Wales --- 28.0 [by] 28.0 / Anti Room for his Attendants --- 20.0 [by] 20.0 / The Duke of Glocester / and the Rest of the Royal Family / 28.6 [by] 19.0 / Anti Room for their Attendants --- 19.0 [by] 15.0 / The Lord Great Chamberlain --- 28.0 [by] 21.6 / Anti Room for his Attendants --- 21.6 [by] 13.0 / The Earl Marshall --- 22.0 [by] 19.6 / The Lords Robing Room --- 50.0 [by] 26.6 / Anti Room for their Attendants --- 19.0 [by] 18.0 / The Lord Chancellor --- 28.0 [by] 17 / Anti Room for his Attendants --- 18.0 [by] 13.0 / Waiting Room --- 18.0 [by] 15.0 / The Archbishops --- 19.6 [by] 10.0 / The Bishops --- 27.9 [by] 17.0 / The Clerk of Parliament --- 22.0 [by] 20.0 / Assistant Clerk of Parliament --- 22.0 [by] 20.0 / The Clerks Room ---20.0 [by] 15.0 / The Black Rod --- 20.0 [by] 12.6 / The Serjeant at Arms --- 20.0 [by] 14.0 / The Council attending the House --- 20.0 [by] 10.0 / The Witnesses attending the House --- 20.0 [by] 19.0 / The Committee Room --- 43.6 [by] 20.0 / The Library and Journals --- 50.0 [by] 20.0 / The Conference Room - [BLANK] / The Court of Requests [BLANK] / The Servants Waiting-Room --- 21.0 [by] 15.0 labelled: Arcade for Carriages / and / Coffee Houses over them, The / Hall for the Lords, The / Lords / Entrance, The Hall, Waiting Room / for Servants, The / Court of Requests, Library / and / Journals, The / Council / attending the House, Witnesses / attending / the House, The / Painted Chamber / and / Conference Room, Court, Attendants / on / the Lords, The / Lords Robing Room, The / Committee Room, The / Black Rod, The / Serjeant at Arms. Court, The / Clerks Room, The / Assistant Clerk / of Parliament, The / Clerk of Parliament, The / Lord Chancellor, The Lobby / with a Gallery over it, The / Bishops, The / Archbishops, The / Robing Room / for / his Majesty, Court, Court, Attendants on / the Prince, Court, Court, The / Prince of Wales, The / Earl Marshall, The Duke of Glocester / and the rest of / the Royal Family. The / Lord Great / Chamberlain together with doorkeepers' lobbies, anterooms, staircases, passages and water closets
Medium and dimensions
(30) Pen, sepia, red, black, green, blue and yellow washes with quadruple-ruled and black wash border on wove paper (736 x 532) (31-35) pen, sepia, red, black, blue and and green washes with quadruple-ruled and black wash border on stout wove paper (31) 1250 x 680, tab with letter C measures 40 x 77 (32) 1203 x 653 (33) 1197 x 657 (34) 1147 x 665) (35) 1197 x 655
The only pricking for transfer is the outline of part of the plan of King Henry's chapel.
Hand
(30-35) Frederick Meyer (1775-?, pupil April 1791- 1796)
Notes
Drawings 30-33 and 35 have each a list of room sizes; Soane was probably asked to supply this extra information. Drawings 30 and 31 are for the same design, drawing 32 and 33 are for the same design, drawings 34 and 35 are nearly the same but differ in that drawing 35 has stairs down to the Thames, and four cannon. The retention of the historically important Court of Requests, Painted Chamber, old House of Lords, Prince's Chamber and four adjacent offices is obviously common to all three designs. The plan form is virtually the same on the westwards side (Old Palace Yard) with a porte-cochère entrance that leads into the same hall with adjacent reception rooms and a staircase in each design. The formal progress into the House of Lords follows the same direct route in all three designs. On the river front, there is a semicircular terrace that projects into the Thames on drawings 30, 31, 34 and 35. These eastern fronts have two pairs of columns (30, 31) and six columns (32-35). The new offices on the right-hand side above the old House of Lords are one room wide (drawings 32-33), one room and partly two rooms wide (drawings 30-31) and one room and partly three rooms wide (drawings 34-35). All three designs have the new House of Lords sited eastwards of the Painted Chamber.
A comparison of plans with elevations shows that drawings 30 and 31 correspond as to the riverside front with (elevations) 63 and 64 having nine bays and two pairs of columns.
S. Sawyer, 'Soane at Westminster'. PhD thesis, Columbia University, 1999, pp. 169-71 puts drawing 34 and 35 (together with 14 and 16) as scheme 'A4' in the sequence of Soane's designs for the House of Lords. Drawings 32 and 33 are ascribed (with 19) to scheme 'A6' (p. 178). The final design (a 'synthesis of two planning approaches' taken from 'A1' to 'A6') includes drawing 30 (Sawyer, p. 180).
Level
Drawing
Digitisation of the Drawings Collection has been made possible through the generosity of the Leon Levy Foundation