St James' Piccadilly

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VINTAGE CABINET PLATE CRIES OF LONDON BUY MY LAVENDER
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VINTAGE CABINET PLATE CRIES OF LONDON BLACK CHERRIES
30 Jun 2010 at 5:00am
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Sir Walter Besant, in The Fascination of London, published in 1903, continues his survey of London with this look at St James' Church, Piccadilly:

St James' church is very wide in proportion to its length, and is said to seat 2,000 people easily.

The reredos, a handsome piece of wood carving with a central group of the pelican in her piety, typical of Christ giving His life's blood for fainting souls, is the work of Grinling Gibbons.

The organ, in the western gallery, is supposed to have been the work of Bernard Schmidt and was built for the Roman Catholic Oratory at Whitehall, but was given to St. James's by Queen Mary, 1691.

The font which stands in the vestibule at the west end is a most excellent piece of work.

It was carved from a block of white marble by Grinling Gibbons, and is about 5 feet in height.

The shaft is the tree of life, round which is twined the serpent, while figures of Adam and Eve stand on either side.

It is well worth going into the church to see this alone.

The font originally possessed a cover, which was stolen in 1800, and is said to have been hung up in a spirit shop.

In the church are many monuments hanging on the walls, and on the pillars.

One or two of these at the east end are very cumbrous, and many are heavily decorated, but none are worthy of note for any intrinsic beauty they possess.

Walcott notes as the most important those of the eighth Earl of Huntingdon, 1704, and Count de la Roche Foucault, 1741.

James Dodsley, the well-known bookseller, 1797, was buried here, also Haysman, the rival of Lely, and Lieutenant-General Sir Colin Campbell, K.C.B., 1847.

Among the entries in the register we have the burials of the two Vanderveldes, father and son.

In the old graveyard there are stones in abundance, one or two on the wall of the church, and many alternating with the flagstones over which the feet of the living carelessly pass.

In Sackville Street, just opposite to the church, Sheridan died.

Next: Piccadilly: Burlington House