land made to the Duke of Bedford. A
curious house-to-house survey of 1650 is preserved in the Augmentation
Office. From this it would appear that the street at that date was full
of small shops, grocers, chandlers, etc., with here and there a big
house occupied by some titled person. Ever since the first introduction
of coaches Long Acre has been particularly favoured by coachbuilders,
and at the present time it is lined by carriage-works. Long Acre was the
scene of many convivial gatherings in the Hanoverian times. It can claim
the first "mug-house," an institution which speedily became popular.
Oliver Cromwell lived on the south side of Long Acre, and Dryden and
Butler in Rose Street, a dirty little alley half destroyed by the
building of Garrick Street. Here Dryden was set upon by three hired
bullies at the command of Lord Rochester, who was insulted by some
satirical lines which he attributed to the poet.

Garrick Street was built about 1864, and the club of the same name was
founded for the patronage of dramatic art.

St. Martin's Lane is one of the oldest thoroughfares in the parish. It
was built about 1613, and was then known as West Church Lane. It ran
right through to the front of Northumberland House, and prints are still
extant showing the church peeping over the line of houses on the western
side.

St. Martin's Lane claims many celebrated names, and was a favourite
resort for artists. The house in which Inigo Jones lived is still
pointed out--No. 31 on the east side. Almost exactly opposite this is
the Public Library, built at the same time as the Municipal Buildings;
it contains a fine reference collection (see also p. 21.) The lane
abounds with memories of the past. In St. Peter's Court Roubiliac
established a studio, afterwards a drawing academy, which numbered
Hayman, Cipriani, Ramsay, Cosway, Nollekens, Reynolds and Hogarth among
its members; this was the predecessor of the Royal Academy. This court
was two or three doors above the Free Library, and was eventually closed
up at the west end by the Garrick Theatre. No. 114 is traditionally on
the site of the mansion of the Earls of Salisbury, in which, also
traditionally, the Seven Bishops were confined before being committed
to the Tower. The names of Chippendale, Nathaniel Hone and Fuseli are
associated with the lane, also Sir Joshua Reynolds and Sir James
Thornhill.

Old Slaughter's Coffee-house alone is enough to redeem any street from
oblivion.