• 1787

St Martin's Lane was a medieval field lane, later becoming a link lane between St Martin-in-the Fields and St Giles-in-the Fields. It was built upon from the late sixteenth century, and became popular with doctors and artisans in the later seventeenth century and the first half of the eighteenth century.

These drawings survive for mirror designs for an unknown house on St Martin's Lane. The designs are not known to have been executed, and the patron, Mr Hamilton, is also unknown. Arthur Bolton has suggested that he may have been John Hamilton of Bargeny who was a subscriber to Adam's publication The ruins of the palace of the Emperor Diocletian at Spalatro in Dalmatia (1764).

According to the ratebooks, one, Sarah Hamilton lived at number 42 St Martin's lane from 1785-87, but it is not known if she was connected with Adam's patron for these designs.

See also: St James's Square, number unknown: unexecuted designs for a ceiling and frieze for Mr Hamilton

Literature:
A.T. Bolton, The architecture of Robert and James, Adam, 1922, Volume II, Index pp. 50, 74; Survey of London, Volume 20, 1940, pp. 119-22; E. Harris, The furniture of Robert Adam, 1963, Index p. 58; B. Weinreb, and C. Hibbert, The London encyclopaedia, 1983, p. 756; S. Bradley, and N. Pevsner, The buildings of England: London 6; Westminster, 2003, p. 360

Frances Sands, 2013

Scheme

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