ch in the City
and its immediate suburbs is figured, St. Katherine's is not drawn. In
Strype (edition 1720) there is no drawing of St. Katherine's; in
Dodsley's 'London,' 1761, it is described but not figured; and
Wilkinson, in his 'Londina Illustrata,' passes it over entirely. The
Hospital buildings consisted of a square, of which the north side was
occupied by the Master's house, with a large garden behind, and the
Master's orchard between his garden and the river; on the east and
west sides were the Brothers' houses; and on the south side of the
square was the church and the chapter-house. On the east of the church
was the burying-ground. South of the church was the Sisters' close,
with the houses occupied by the Sisters and the Bedeswomen. The old
Brothers' houses were taken down and rebuilt about the year 1755, and
the Master's house, an ancient building, full of carved timber-work,
had also been taken down, so that in the year 1825, when the Hospital
was finally destroyed, the only venerable building standing in the
Precinct was the church itself. To look at the drawings of this old
church and to think of the loving care with which it would have been
treated had it been allowed to stand till this day, and then to
consider the 'Gothic' edifice in Regent's Park, is indeed saddening.
The church consisted of the nave and chancel with two aisles, built by
Bishop Beckington, formerly the Master. The east window, 30 feet high
and 25 feet wide, had once been most beautiful when its windows were
stained. The tracery was still fine; a St. Katherine's wheel occupied
the highest part, and beneath it was a rose; but none of the windows
had preserved their painted glass, so that the general effect of the
interior must have been cold. The carved wood of the stalls and the
great pulpit, presented by Sir Julius Caesar, may still be seen in the
Regent's Park Chapel, where are also some of the monuments. Of these
the church was full. The finest (now in Regent's Park) was that of
John Holland, Duke of Exeter, and his two wives. There was one of the
Hon. George Montague, Master of the Hospital, who died in the year
1681; and there was the monument with kneeling figures of one Cutting
and his wife, with his coat of arms. The seats of the stalls are
curiously carved, as is so often found, with grotesque figures--human
birds, monkeys, lions, boys riding hogs, angels playing bagpipes,
beasts with human heads, pelicans feeding their young,