Survey of London: Volume 35, the theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

An account of the history and buildings of these two prominent London establishments, from their origins in the seventeenth century to the twentieth century.

Survey of London.

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Citation:

Survey of London: Volume 35, the theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, ed. F H W Sheppard (London, 1970), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol35 [accessed 3 April 2025].

Survey of London: Volume 35, the theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Edited by F H W Sheppard (London, 1970), British History Online, accessed April 3, 2025, https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol35.

Survey of London: Volume 35, the theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Ed. F H W Sheppard (London, 1970), British History Online. Web. 3 April 2025. https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol35.

Table of Contents

Title Page(s)
Frontispiece
The Historic Buildings Board of the Greater London Council v
Preface and thanks vii-ix
List of plates xii-xv
List of figures in the Text xvi
The Killigrew and Davenant Patents 1-8
The Theatre Royal: Management 9-29
The Theatre Royal: Site 30-39
The Theatre Royal: Buildings 40-70
Covent Garden Theatre and the Royal Opera House: Management 71-85
Covent Garden Theatre and the Royal Opera House: Buildings 86-108
Appendix: Shareholders in Covent Garden Theatre, 1733-8 109-111
List of abbreviations 112
References 112-121
Index 122-132
Plate 1: Extracts from early maps 1
Plate 2: Extract from Rocque's map of 1746 2
Plate 3: Extracts from plans of 1795 and 1866 3
Plate 4: Early design for a playhouse 4
Plate 5: Early designs 5
Plate 6: Extract from plan of c.1748 6
Plate 7: A plan of 1778 7
Plate 8: Theatre Royal, Brydges Street front 8
Plate 9: Theatre Royal, auditorium and proscenium (early views) 9
Plate 10: Theatre Royal, designs by Robert Adam for auditorium ceiling 10
Plate 11: Theatre Royal, design by Robert Adam for proscenium and auditorium 11
Plate 12: Theatre Royal, section and plan by Henry Holland 12
Plate 13: Theatre Royal, section and plan by Henry Holland 13
Plate 14: Theatre Royal, section by Henry Holland 14
Plate 15: Theatre Royal, plan at fourth tier level 15
Plate 16: Theatre Royal, plans at first tier, pit and basement levels 16
Plate 17: Theatre Royal, plans at upper gallery, third and second tier levels 17
Plate 18: Theatre Royal, auditorium after 1797 18
Plate 19: Theatre Royal, auditorium after 1805-6 19
Plate 20: Theatre Royal, exterior designs, 1791-4 20
Plate 21: Theatre Royal, exterior as built looking west and east 21
Plate 22: B. D. Wyatt's preliminary designs, 1810, plans 22
Plate 23: B. D. Wyatt's preliminary designs c.1810, exteriors 23
Plate 24: B. D. Wyatt's revised preliminary designs, 1811, plans 24
Plate 25: B. D. Wyatt's revised preliminary designs, 1811, elevation and section 25
Plate 26: B. D. Wyatt's executed designs, plans 26
Plate 27: B. D. Wyatt's executed designs, proscenium and section 27
Plate 28: B. D. Wyatt's executed designs, sections 28
Plate 29: B. D. Wyatt's executed design for front 29
Plate 30: Theatre Royal, plan at first box level 30
Plate 31: Theatre Royal, cross and longitudinal Sections 31
Plate 32: Theatre Royal, auditorium in 1813 and 1822 32
Plate 33: Theatre Royal, auditorium in 1841-2 33
Plate 34: Theatre Royal, auditorium in 1897 - 8 34
Plate 35: Theatre Royal, auditorium in 1921-2 35
Plate 36: Theatre Royal, rotunda and staircase in 1965 36
Plate 37: Theatre Royal, saloon and royal retiring room in 1965 37
Plate 38: Theatre Royal, entrance front and Russell Street colonnade in 1965 38
Plate 39: Theatre Royal, plan of c.1760 39
Plate 40: Theatre Royal, plan and section, c. 1774 40
Plate 41: Theatre Royal, views 41
Plate 42: Theatre Royal, views of auditorium 42
Plate 43: Theatre Royal, survey plans, c.1791 43
Plate 44: Theatre Royal, Holland's first designs, c. 1791 44
Plate 45: Theatre Royal, survey plan, c. 1808 45
Plate 46: Theatre Royal, auditorium after 1792 46
Plate 47: Theatre Royal, auditorium after 1792 47
Plate 48: Theatre Royal, Bow Street front after 1792 48
Plate 49: Theatre Royal, Bow Street front in 1809 49
Plate 50: Theatre Royal, Bow Street front in 1809 50
Plate 51: Theatre Royal, Bow Street front in 1809 51
Plate 52: Theatre Royal, plans, 1809 52
Plate 53: Theatre Royal, sections, 1824 53
Plate 54: Theatre Royal, auditorium in 1810 54
Plate 55: Theatre Royal, auditorium in 1825 and 1833 55
Plate 56: Theatre Royal, staircase and saloon 56
Plate 57: Royal Italian Opera House, ceiling and auditorium, 1846-7 57
Plate 58: Royal Opera House, ruins after fire 58
Plate 59: Royal Opera House, Bow Street front in 1965 59
Plate 60: Royal Opera House, E. M. Barry's executed designs 60
Plate 61: Royal Opera House, E. M. Barry's executed designs 61
Plate 62: Royal Opera House, sections, plans and details 62
Plate 63: Royal Opera House, sections, plans and details 63
Plate 64: Royal Opera House, auditorium in 1858 and 1897-8 64
Plate 65: Royal Opera House, auditorium in 1948 and 1965 65
Plate 66: Royal Opera House, auditorium in 1965 66
Plate 67: Royal Opera House, staircase, royal ante - room and crush bar in 1948 67
Plate 68: Royal Opera House, views 68