The present street contains many pleasant, picturesque houses, especially at the northern end. At the corner of Castle Lane is the Westminster Chapel, the largest Independent place of worship in the Metropolis excepting Spurgeon's Tabernacle. It seats 2,500, and has two galleries, one above the other, running round the whole interior. It was opened in 1865 to replace a smaller chapel which had previously stood on the same site.
Emanuel Hospital was a charming old building which stood south of the chapel on the same side of the street. It was founded in 1594 by Lady Dacre "for the relief of aged people and the bringing up of children in virtue and good and laudable arts, whereby they might the better live in time to come by their honest labour." The low range of buildings running round a quadrangle had tall chimneys, and the central house was decorated by a cupola and clock. It was the sort of place that took the sharpness off charity by covering it with a sheath of that dignity which is always to be found in antiquity.
By Lady Dacre's will there were to be twenty almspeople, and each of them was at liberty to bring up one child. It was, however, not until the year 1728 that a school was first established, for before that the funds had been insufficient.
In 1890 thirteen of the almshouses stood empty from failure of income, and subsequently it was resolved to demolish the almshouses and offer the present valuable site for building purposes. It is not the intention of the trustees to erect new almshouses. The charity will in future be entirely in money pensions known as Lady Dacre's pensions.
Caxton Street was originally called Chapel Street, but was renamed in honour of the great printer, who lived for some years at a house in the Almonry, now replaced by the Westminster Palace Hotel (see p. 34).
On the south side of the street is a curious little square brick building with the figure of a Bluecoat boy over the porch, and the inscription on a slab, "The Blue Coat School, built in the year 1709." On the back is a large painting of a similar boy and the date of foundation: "This School founded 1688." A small garden stretches out behind. The building itself contains simply one hall or classroom, which is decorated by an ornamental dental cornice, and has a curious inner portico with fluted columns over the doorway. It is supposed to have been built by the great Sir Christopher. The Master's house, covered with Virginia creeper, stands on one side of the main building.