Baldwin's of St. James's
Auction 33 12 Jun 2019
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Commemorative Medals, London, The King's Private Roads, undated circular bronze pass, first issued 1731, crowned G R cypher, rev. FOR THE KING'S PRIVATE ROADS, 32.5mm. (D&W.320/8; Withers 1159; Bendall, SNC 1995 p.338-40, Cb), very fine; attached to it a steel key, the oval bow filled with brass interior engraved on both sides, crown above G IV R, named below 'Mr Waller' and, in script, 'From Gate on Bridge Hyde Park, in excellent condition and an extremely rare survivor (2)
Early in his reign George IV instigated improvements to Hyde Park. Decimus Burton (1800-1881) created the Triumphal screen at Hyde Park Corner and also the Wellington Arch. Sir John Rennie (1794-1874), designed a new bridge to cross the Serpentine, then a river, which formally split Hyde Park from Kensington Gardens. The bridge opened in 1826. Whilst the old bridge had formed part of the boundary, this boundary now ran across the new and much wider bridge and the problem was only solved by the placing of iron railings along the middle of the bridge itself. The key is to a gate in these railings. See Thomas Dugdale and William Burnett, Curiosities of Great Britain: England & Wales Delineated ..., vol. 8:
'This bridge, on the Hyde Park side, affords persons on horseback and on foot, a communication between the north and south sides of the park, and being divided along the centre by an iron railing, the inner half of the bridge forms the passage for those who frequent Kensington-gardens. Its cost was £36,500.'
(500-600 GBP)
Early in his reign George IV instigated improvements to Hyde Park. Decimus Burton (1800-1881) created the Triumphal screen at Hyde Park Corner and also the Wellington Arch. Sir John Rennie (1794-1874), designed a new bridge to cross the Serpentine, then a river, which formally split Hyde Park from Kensington Gardens. The bridge opened in 1826. Whilst the old bridge had formed part of the boundary, this boundary now ran across the new and much wider bridge and the problem was only solved by the placing of iron railings along the middle of the bridge itself. The key is to a gate in these railings. See Thomas Dugdale and William Burnett, Curiosities of Great Britain: England & Wales Delineated ..., vol. 8:
'This bridge, on the Hyde Park side, affords persons on horseback and on foot, a communication between the north and south sides of the park, and being divided along the centre by an iron railing, the inner half of the bridge forms the passage for those who frequent Kensington-gardens. Its cost was £36,500.'
(500-600 GBP)