1844.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL 



31 



Lincoln's Idq Buildings. 



60 feet. 

 Plan of Lincoln's Inn Buildings. 



LINCOLN'S INN HALL AND LIBRARY. 



This structure is fast approaching completion, having been laboured 

 at night and day with all the vigour which its energetic architect and 

 contractor could bring to bear. The buildings include a library, a 

 dining hall, and a bencher's room, and are in what may be called the 

 early domestic style of the sixteenth century, or reign of Henry Vill. 

 They stand, as our readers are aware, on part of the site of Lincoln's 

 Inn Garden, looking on Lincoln's Inn Fields, and form an important 

 addition to this great inn of court, which hitherto has been rather in 

 arrear in the matter of architecture. In compliance with the practice 

 at the Temple, Gray's Inn, and Staples Inn, these buildings are in a 

 medieval style, but which, in the present instance, does not accord 

 witli some of the other prominent edifices in Lincoln's Inn, nor with 

 those in Lincoln's Inn Fields. If, too, Mr. Barry is to erect his New 

 Courts of Law in Lincoln's Inn Fields, the New Hall will sadly put 

 them out of countenance. We hope that now the benchers have 

 begun, they will persevere and give Lincoln's Inn an architectural 

 character, consistent with its legal standing and the many interesting 

 historical and literary associations connected with it. 



As much interest is attached to this structure at the present mo- 

 ment, it gives us great pleasure to avail ourselves of the accompanying 

 engravings and description, for which we are indebted to the courtesy 

 of the conductors of the Companion to the Almanac, and which afford a 

 very comprehensive view of the design. 



To begin with the diuing-hall: at the south end, a, it greatly ex- 

 ceeds the present one in dimensions, that being only 75 ft. by 32 ft. 

 whereas this is 120 ft. by 45 ft. and 04 ft. high, it is therefore consi- 

 derably larger also than Middle Temple Hall, supposing the size of 

 this last to be correctly stated at 100 ft. in length, and 40 ft. in width. 

 One characteristic feature of this hall will be an open timber roof of 

 oak; and all the windows will contain a great deal of stained glass 

 emblazoned with the arms of members of the Inn. There will also be 

 two bay windows at the upper or dan end of the hall. The vestibule, 

 6, connecting the hall with the library and other rooms (c, the council- 

 room, and (i, the drawing-rooms, each 3lX'24 ft., exclusive of bay), 

 will be lighted by a louvre lantern, which will also show itself conspi- 

 cuously on the external roof. The library, which runs transversely to 

 the rest of the plan, and therefore gives extent in another direction, is 

 80 ft. by 40 ft., and 35 ft. high, and will, like the hall, have an oaken 

 open roof. On the ground-floor is a reading-room for the benchers, 

 and various other rooms for the officers attached to the Society : and 

 in the basement are a spacious kitchen and all other requisite domestic 

 offices. 



The exterior of the building is of red brick and stone, with an in- 

 termixture of darker-coloured bricks, and executed in a superior man- 

 ner. Architectural effect will be extended both by the terraces con- 

 necting the structure itself with the gardens and by the adjoining 

 entrance from Lincoln's-inn-fields. 



We should have been better pleased had a more lively-looking 



