New Market of Co-oent Garden. 265 



Art. II. Description of the NexvMarlcet of Covent Garden, London. 

 By the Conductor. 



The market of Covent, or Convent, Garden is so named 

 from its site having been once the garden of a convent. It 

 occupies a space measuring 326 ft. from east to west, and 

 248 ft. from north to south, and consequently covers nearly 

 two acres of surface. This space, before the present new 

 building was commenced in 1828, was partially covered with 

 open sheds and wooden structures, which had not the slightest 

 pretension to uniformity or any other architectural beauty, 

 further than that most of them were ranged in straight lines 

 from east to west. With the exception of the beauty of the 

 articles sold, which were at all times the best the country 

 could produce, every thing else had a disorderly appearance ; 

 frequently joined to litter, refuse, and an apparent want of 

 cleanliness. As the population of London increased, and 

 with it the supply of vegetables brought to this market, very 

 considerable inconvenience was experienced, both by sellers 

 and purchasers, from want of room. 



Various plans have been suggested for its improvement. 

 We recollect an ironmonger talking of throwing a glass roof 

 over the whole market at the height of 50 ft. from the ground, 

 and supported on hollow cast-iron pillars; some of which 

 were to serve for the descent of water from the roof, and 

 others for the ascent of smoke from the fireplaces in such 

 living apartments or shops as might be constructed below. 

 In 1827, a plan was submitted to the Duke of Bedford, as 

 proprietor of the market, by Mr. Fowler, and exhibited at 

 Somerset House in the same year. A model was soon after- 

 wards formed from this plan, and exhibited to all those in- 

 terested in the market. This model may now be seen in the 

 Gallery of Arts in the Colosseum. The ground-plan of this 

 design, which was engraved in 1827, exhibits three parallel 

 buildings, each surrounded by an open colonnade. Exterior 

 to the buildings is a space sufficiently wide to allow a row 

 of carts and waggons to arrange themselves, side by side, 

 the horses' heads pointing from the building, without inter- 

 rupting carriages passing along the street. We understand 

 the chief objection to this plan was the occupation of so much 

 space by the colonnades. In other respects it does not differ 

 essentially from that executed. 



In 1287, the Duke of Bedford, having procured an act of 

 parliament for the rebuilding of the market, employed 

 Mr. Fowler as its architect; and, by the suggestions of 

 Mr. Charlwood, who was employed to arrange the ground- 



