Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
here with her dull husband, ran off with Henry Crawford: '… it was with infinite concern
the newspaper had to announce to the world, a matrimonial fracas in the family of Mr R. of
Wimpole Street.'
Another scandalous marriage began in Wigmore Street in 1791 when Sir William and
Lady Hamilton set up their first home together. She, of course, became Nelson's mistress.
Ironically, in the same year, Captain and Mrs Horatio Nelson were living just a short dis-
tance away in Cavendish Square.
The north side of Cavendish Square in 1813. The chaise with its pos-
tilions is drawn up in front of a pair of houses that can still be seen
today. This is a typical colour for a post chaise - they were known as
'yellow bounders'.
At the corner of Wigmore Place is No. 10 where Frederica in
Lady Susan
attends board-
ing school. On the other side of Wigmore Street, No. 11 was the location of Christian and
Sons, drapers. In May 1813 Jane mentions visiting the shop to buy dimity, a figured cotton
cloth.
Walk on to reach the corner of Harley Street. In
Sense and Sensibility
the John Dash-
woods had taken a very good house for the season in Harley Street and Mrs Dennison visits
when Elinor and Marianne are calling on them. To Fanny's annoyance she invites the sis-
ters to a musical evening, which obliges Fanny to send her carriage to collect them, a ges-
ture which she feels gives them a most unjustified status.
Harley Street, today synonymous with doctors, had only a few of them in Jane's day.
It did, however, appear to attract the military. The Duchess of Wellington lived at No. 11
while her husband was serving in the Peninsula, Admiral Lord Keith lived at No. 89 and
Admiral Hood at No. 16. Naval widows Lady Nelson and Lady Rodney also resided here.
The building occupied by Coutts Bank on the corner of Cavendish Square was lived in
for many years by Princess Amelia, the unmarried daughter of George II. A little further
along on the same side of the square is a pair of handsome Palladian frontages flanking
Dean's Mews.
