the Regent's Park

Regent's-Park, the Mary-le-bone, was named after our late king, George the Fourth, in honour of his long and prosperous regency; a monarch, who, if named after the manner of the French, would deserve, from his liberal patronage of all the arts, and his munificent donations of the royal library to the British Museum, of casts and pictures to the Royal Academy, and other similar acts of liberality, to be named, "George the Magnificent." It is part of the ancient manor of Mary-le-bone, still more anciently called Tybourne, from its situation near a small bourn, or rivulet, formerly called Aye-brook or Eye-brook.

The limited nature of this work will not permit of much historical detail, therefore the reader is referred to my work of "London in the Nineteenth Century," for full details, and well engraved views of the splendid villas, mansions, lodges, terraces, and other buildings, that are spread about within its tasteful area.

It is bounded on the south by the New-road, from which it has five entrances, two between the east and west sides of Park-square, opposite Park-crescent, Portland-place, one between Ulster-terrace and York-terrace, one opposite Mary-le-bone church, called York-gate, and another opposite Baker-street, between Cornwall-terrace and Clarence-terrace; on the west, by a new road leading to Lisson-grove; on the north, by Primrose-hill; and on the west, by streets reaching to the Hampstead-road. The Regent's Canal encircles nearly the northern half, carried through a beautifully planted valley. In the centre is a circular road called the Ring, a beautiful circuitous road goes entirely round it. It is planted in a very tasteful manner, and the elegantly formed lake, with its numerous islets and plantations, produce a most enchanting effect. The whole of it was designed and laid out by John Nash, Esq., and is one of the best examples of taste in landscape gardening and picturesque architecture in Europe.

The principal buildings in this splendid park, are York-gate, York-terrace, cornwall-terrace, Clarence-terrace, sussex-place, Hanover-terrace, Macclesfield-bridge and gate, the menagerie and gardens of the Zoological Society, East-gate, the Royal Hospital of St. Katherine, Cumberland-terrace, Chester-terrace, Cambridge-terrace, the Colosseum, St. Andrew's-place, Park-square, the Diorama, Ulster-terrace, the Royal York Baths, see all those places, and the villas of the Marquess of Hertford, Sir Herbert Taylor, as Master of St. Katherine's Hospital, Lady Arbuthnot; Mr. Burton's, called the Holme, and Mr. Maberly's.

Regent's Park, a public park of 372 acres, part of old Marylebone Park, long since disparked, and familiarly known as Marylebone Farm and Fields. On the expiration of the lease from the Crown to the Duke of Portland in January 1811, the Crown obtained an Act of Parliament, and appointed a commission to form a park and to let the adjoining ground on building leases. The whole was laid out by Mr. James Morgan in 1812, from the plans of Mr. John Nash, architect, who designed all the terraces except Cornwall Terrace, which was designed by Mr. Decimus Burton. By a clause in the building leases of the Regent's Park houses the lessees covenant to renew the colouring on the stuccoed exteriors within the month of August in every fourth year; the period being the same for them all, and the tint to be that of Bath stone.

The park derives its name from the Prince Regent, afterwards George IV., who intended building a residence at the north-east side of the park. Part of Regent Street was actually designed as a communication from the Prince's residence to Carlton House, St. James's Palace, etc. The Crown property comprises, besides the park, the upper part of Portland Place from No. 8 (where there is now part of the iron railing which formerly separated Portland Place from Marylebone Fields), the Park Crescent and Square, Albany, Osnaburgh, and the adjoining cross streets, York and Cumberland Squares, Regent's Park Basin and Augustus Street, Park Villages east and west, and the outer road of the park. The Zoological Gardens are at the upper end of the park. The Holme, a villa near the centre of the park, was erected by Mr. James Burton (father of Decimus Burton), and where he resided until his decease. This Mr. Burton was a speculative builder, who covered with houses the Skinners' Company and Foundling Hospital estates; he also erected York and Cornwall Terraces, Regent's Park; Waterloo Place and the lower part of Regent Street. Through the park, on a line with Portland Place to the east side of the Zoological Gardens, runs a fine broad avenue lined with trees, and footpaths which ramify across the sward in all directions, interspersed with ornamental plantations and well stocked flower-beds. These were laid out in 1833, and opened in 1838, up to which time the public were excluded from the inside of the park. On January 15, 1867, a fearful accident occurred through the breaking of the ice on the ornamental water, when about 200 persons were immersed and nearly 40 of them lost their lives. The depth of the water has since been reduced to about four feet. Around the park runs an outer road, forming an agreeable drive nearly 2 miles long. An inner drive, in the form of a circle, encloses the Botanic Gardens. On the outer road is Holford House, now the Regent's Park (Baptist) College. St. Dunstan's Villa, the residence of Henry Hucks Gibbs, Esq., somewhat south of the college, erected by Decimus Burton for the late Marquis of Hertford. In the gardens of this villa are placed the identical clock and automaton strikers which once adorned St. Dunstan's Church in Fleet Street. When the marquis was a child, and a good child, his nurse, to reward him, would take him to see "the giants" at St. Dunstan's, and he used to say that when he grew to be a man "he would buy those giants." It happened when old St. Dunstan's was pulled down that the giants were put up to auction, and the marquis became their purchaser. They still do duty in striking the hours and quarters. There is a picture in the National Gallery by James Ward, R.A. (1175), which is entitled "Regent's Park, 1807." It is, in fact, a view of Marylebone Park, which afterwards became the Regent's Park.