After the Fire had demolished a considerable portion of the City, many plans and suggestions were submitted for its reconstruction, and those of Sir Christopher Wren and of John Evelyn were distinguished by their excellence and thoroughness. The occasion offered a magnificent opportunity for a wise and far-seeing scheme of town-planning, and the ingenious ideas of Evelyn are particularly interesting in view of the attention which is now being given to the subject.
It might haply be thought fit to fill up, or at least give a partial level to some of the deepest valleys, holes and more sudden declivities within the City, for the more ease of commerce, carriages, coaches and people in the streets; and not a little for the more handsome ranging of the buildings: for instance, that from about the Fleet to Ludgate; which yet should be no more than might only afford a graceful and just ascent from thence up towards St. Paul's; the only spot in the whole city, where I would plant that ancient and venerable Cathedral again: but here is to be considered the Channel running thence through Holborn, which would be so enlarged, as not only to be preserved sweet (by scouring it through flood-gates into the Thames on all occasions) but commodious for the intercourse of considerable vessels thwart this portion of the town; and which therefore should be accordingly wharfed on both sides to the very key of the river, and made contiguous to the streets by bridges arched to a due level, as it might easily be contrived, (and with passage sufficient for lusty barges and lighters under them) were the valley so elevated as it is projected. There is only this care incumbent; that all foundations upon this new ground be searched to the old and more solid basis; from whence they may also store themselves with vaults and cellarage in abundance: The same might be considered in some sort from the descent of the hill towards Thames-Street, so as to come down upon the future key by a far less declivity, which would give those houses that should be built fronting to the river a more becoming aspect, and an easier footing to the ranges above them, which would peep over one another successively; with a far better grace, than those do at Genoa, where the ascent is too precipitious.
These considerations and employments would greatly forward the prompt and natural disposal of the more useless and cumbersome rubbish; unless it might be thought more expedient (if there should not be sufficient for both) to design it rather towards the enlargement of a new and ample key; which I wish might run parallel from the very Tower to the Temple at least, and, if it were possible (without augmenting the rapidity of the stream) extend itself even as far as the very low-water mark; the basin by this means kept perpetually full, without Slub or annoyance, and to the infinite benefit and ease of access, like that of Constantinople, than which nothing could be imagined more noble: what fractions and confusions our ugly stairs, bridges and causeways make, and how dirty and nasty it is at every ebb, we are sufficiently sensible of; so as, next to the hellish smoke of the town, there is nothing doubtless which does more impair the health of its inhabitants....
For the rest of those necessary evils, the brew-houses, bake-houses, dyers, salt, soap and sugar-boilers, chandlers, hat-makers, slaughter-houses, some sort of fish-mongers, etc. whose neighbourhood cannot be safe, (as I have elsewhere shewed, and a sad experience has confirmed) I hope his Majesty will now dispose of to some other parts about the river; towards Bow and Wandsworth on the water; Islington and about Spital-Fields, etc. The charge of bringing all their commodities into the City would be very inconsiderable, opposed to the peril of their being continued amongst the inhabitants, and the benefit of the carriage, which would employ a world of people, both by land and water, without the least prejudice.
I suppose the Custom-house cannot be better situated than where it was, and as it may hold communication with the Tower: here might the Admiralty and Navy-Office be fitly placed.
I have not forgotten the hospitals, public workhouses to employ the poor in, and prisons; which being built and re-endowed at the common charge, should be disposed of in convenient quarters of the City: the hospitals would become one of the principal streets: but the prisons, and tribunal for trial of criminal offenders, might be built (as of old) near some entrance of the City; about Newgate were a fitting place, as my plate represents it.
The College of Physicians would be in one of the best parts of the town, encircled with an handsome Piazza for the dwelling of those learned persons, with the Chirurgeons, Apothecaries and Druggists in the streets about them; for I am greatly inclined to wish, that all of a mystery should be destined to their several quarters: those of the better sort of shop-keepers, who sell by retail, might be allotted to the sweetest and most eminent streets and piazzas: the artificers to the more ordinary houses, intermediate and narrower passages (for such will hardly be avoided) that the noise and tintamar of their instruments may be the less importunate: the taverns and victualling houses sprinkled amongst them, and built accordingly: but all these too, even the very meanest, should exactly respect uniformity, and be more substantially built than those in Covent-Garden, and other places; where once in twenty or thirty years they had need be built again, and therefore to be indulged a longer term.
Spaces for ample courts, yards and gardens, even in the heart of the City there may be some to the principal houses, for state and refreshment; but with great reservation, because of the fractions they will make; and therefore rarely towards any principal street: and I hope it will please his Majesty to prescribe by a public and irreversible edict, that no houses whatsoever, may for the future presume to be erected, not only about this City, but all the Nation besides, within such a distance from magazines, places of public records and Churches, which should be preserved as sanctuaries.
The gates and entries of the City, which are to be rebuilt, might be the subjects of handsome architecture, in form of triumphal arches, adorned with statues, relievo's and apposite inscriptions, as prefaces to the rest within, and should therefore by no means be obstructed by sheds, and ugly shops, or houses adhering to them: and I wish this reformation, and the infinite danger of their being continued, might extend to the demolishing those deformed buildings on London-Bridge; which not only endanger all the rest, but take away from the beauty of it, and indeed of the whole City near the Thames: instead of them, if there went a substantial baluster of iron, decorated with statues upon their pedestals at convenient distances, and the footway on each side, it would be exceedingly convenient; whilst, to secure the passengers by night, it might be guarded by responsible house-keepers in their turns: or, if they will need have shops, let them be built of solid stone, made narrow and very low, like to those upon the Rialto at Venice; but it were far better without them.