THE LIBERTY OF ST. MARTIN 'S-LE-GRAND 23 



began to build — at all events to prepare the ground — 

 in 1818, but eleven years elapsed before the new office 

 was ready for occupation. 



The building needs no eulogium, either as regards 

 beauty or design ; but I doubt if it realized quite the 

 severe simplicity which the committee of 1815 desired. 

 It certainly adopted in principle a main feature of 

 Kaye's plan — a large court within for public use. 

 ' A central hexastyle portico of the Ionic order, the 

 columns fluted, the frieze plain, the cornice with 

 appropriate ornament of dentals in its bed mould,' 

 scarcely reads as though ' ornamental decorations 

 introduced for the mere purpose of embellishment,' 

 which the committee appeared heartily to detest in 

 Kaye, were wholly avoided by Smirke. The total cost 

 of site and building was about £330,000. 



There might be amongst architects and men of 

 taste differences of opinion in regard to style, eleva- 

 tion and disposition of space in Smirke' s structure, 

 but there was none on the cardinal point of providing 

 ample means of access for the mail-coaches. The 

 prime consideration of facility of entering, loading up, 

 and departing, stamped itself on the accepted plan, 

 and may any day be traced in the drive which, with 

 the street, goes round the building and expands into 

 an open courtyard at its northern extremity. 



The up-coming coaches entered at the south end, 

 discharged their mails at the north end, and, such 

 as Sherman horsed, drove straight into the Bull and 

 Mouth yard opposite. 



