Sir Christopher Wren, to whose genius and abilities we owe the grandest edifices of which our metropolis can boast, gave the original design, and conducted the building to its completion.
Chelsea Hospital is generally considered to be a fine specimen of Sir Christopher Wren’s professional abilities. It possesses a superior air of grandeur, more spacious arrangement of the principal parts, greater attention to the central points, for grace and effect, and a higher degree of chastity maintained in the whole structure than any public design entered into by Sir Christopher Wren, or his immediate successors.
At the grand entrance, from the King’s Road, are four detached stone piers, with breaks, with an entablature, on which are military trophies. These piers, by their disposure, give three passes; the iron gates much modernised; dwarf walls, having cornices in succession, containing small door-ways. Two lodges, right and left, carry on the line, containing four compartments, or blank windows each.
The central approach, from the King’s Road to the north general front of the Hospital, including the Royal Avenue, has a very imposing effect, with trees on either side.
It would be impossible to give in this work an architectural description of Chelsea Hospital, or of its arrangements. It is within the reach of every inhabitant of London, and now as our country friends have the benefit of frequent railway excursions, almost every person in the country, may at any time give this home of England’s worn out and gallant defenders a personal inspection. Still it is necessary that a general sketch of the building and grounds should be given. I have therefore extracted most of the following particulars from Mr. Gleig’s admirable work.
Chelsea Hospital occupies, with the buildings, courts, gardens, and offices attached, an area of something more than 54 square acres. Its principal courts, or quadrangles, are three in number; of which the central alone existed in 1690, though the good taste of a modern architect has provided that no discordance in style should be anywhere perceptible between the nucleus and the additions which have, from to time, gathered round it. Over the whole, there hangs an air of sobered and collegiate repose, as far removed from gloom on the one hand, as from garishness on the other; a character every way suitable to the purposes to which the edifice has been set apart, and in strict accordance with the habits and condition of its inmates.