Over the Cornhill gate is a beautiful tower, a
hundred and seventy-eight feet high, furnished with twelve small
bells for chimes; and underneath the piazzas are capacious cellars,
which serve for warehouses.
The whole building is of Portland stone, rustic work; above the
arches the inward piazza is an entablament, with fine enrichments;
and on the cornice a range of pilasters, within entablature, and a
spacious compass pediment in the middle of the corners of each of
the four sides. Under the pediment on the north side are the king's
arms; on the south those of the City; and on the east the arms of
Sir Thomas Gresham. And under the pediment on the west side the
arms of the Company of Mercers, with their respective enrichments.
The intercolumns of the upper range are twenty-four niches, nineteen
of which are filled with the statues of the kings and queens regent
of England, standing erect with their robes and regalia, except that
of King James II. and King George II., which are habited like the
Caesars.
On the south side are seven niches, of which four are filled, viz.:-
1. The most easterly figure, which has this inscription in gold
letters, Edvardus Primus Rex, Anno Dom. 1272. 2. Westward,
Edvardus III. Rex, Anno Dom. 1329. 3. Henricus V. Rex, Anno Domini
1412. 4. Henricus VI. Rex, Anno Domini 1422.
On the west side five niches, four of which are filled, viz.:-
1. Under the most southerly figures is subscribed in gold letters,
Edvardus IV. Rex, Anno Domini 1460. 2. Northward (the crown pendent
over his head) Edvardus V. Rex, Anno Domini 1483. 3. Henricus VII.
Rex, Anno Domini 1487. 4. Henricus VIII. Rex, Anno Domini 1508.
On the north side seven niches are filled, viz.:-
1. The most westerly, subscribed in golden characters, Edvardus VI.
Rex, Anno Domini 1547. 2. Maria Regina, Anno Domini 1553. 3.
Elizabetha Regina, Anno Domini 1558. 4. Is subscribed Serenissim &
Potentissim' Princip' Jacobo Primo, Mag. Brit' Fran' & Hibern' Reg.
Fid. Defensori, Societas Pannitonsorum posuit, A.D. 1684. 5. [Greek
text which cannot be reproduced] Serenissimi & Religiosissimi
Principis Caroli Primi, Angliae, Scotiae, Franciae Hiberniae Regis,
Fidei Defensoris; Bis Martyris (in Corpore Effigie) Impiis Rebellium
Manibus, ex hoc loco deturbata confracta, Anno Dom. 1647. Restituta
hic demum collocata, Anno Dom. 1683. Gloria Martyrii qui te fregere
Rebelles non potuere ipsum quem voluere Deum. 6. Carolus Secundus
Rex, Anno Domini 1648. 7. Jacobus II. Rex, Anno Domini 1685.
On the east side five niches, one of which is vacant, the other
filled, viz.:-
1. The most northerly contains two statues, viz., of King William
and Queen Mary, subscribed Gulielmus III. Rex, & Maria II. Regina,
A.D. 1688. S. P. Q. Londin' Optim Principibus, P. C. 1695. 2.
Anna Regina Dei Gratia Mag. Britan' Franciae & Hiberniae, 1701. 3.
George I. inscribed Georgius D. G. Magnae Britan' Franciae &
Hiberniae Rex, Anno Dom. 1714. S.P.Q.L. 4. Southerly the statue
of King George II. in the habiliment of a Caesar, wreathed on the
head, and a battoon or truncheon in his hand, little differing from
that of Charles II. in the centre of the area, only in looking
northward; inscribed Georgius II. D. G. Mag. Brit. Fra. & Hib. Rex,
Anno Dom. 1727. S.P.Q.L.
On the four sides of the piazza within the Exchange are twenty-eight
niches, which are all vacant yet, except one near the north-west
angle, where is the figure of Sir Thomas Gresham. The piazza itself
is paved with black and white marble, and the court, or area,
pitched with pebbles; in the middle whereof is the statue of King
Charles II. in a Roman habit, with a battoon in his hand, erected on
a marble pedestal, about eight feet high and looking southward; on
which side of the pedestal, under an imperial crown, wings, trumpet
of fame, sceptre and sword, palm branches, &c., are these words
inscribed, viz.:-
Carolo II. Caesari Britannico, Patriae Patri, Regum Optimo
Clementissimo Augustissimo, Generis Humani Deliciis, Utriusq;
Fortunae Victori, Pacis Europae Arbitro, Marium Domino, ac Vindici
Societatis Mercatorum Adventur' Angliae, quae per CCCC jam prope
Annos Regia benignitate floret, Fidei Intemeratae & Gratitudinis
aeternae hoc Testimonium venerabunda posuit, Anno Salutis Humanae
1684.
On the west side of the pedestal is neatly cut in relievo the figure
of a Cupid reposing his right hand on a shield containing the arms
of England and France quartered, and in his left hand a rose.
On the north side are the arms of Ireland on a shield, supported by
a Cupid.
On the east side the arms of Scotland, with a Cupid holding a
thistle all in relievo.
The inner piazza and court are divided into several stations, or
walks, where the merchants of the respective nations, and those who
have business with them, assemble distinctly; so that any merchant
or commander of a vessel is readily found, if it be known to what
country he trades. The several walks are described in the following
ground-plot of the Exchange:-
0 - North
+ - - - - - - - - - - + + - - - - - - - - - - - - +
| 1 2 | | 3 4 |
| + - - - - - - - - + + - - - - - - - - - -+ |
| | 7 8 9 10 | |
| 5 | 6 | 11 |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
West| | + - - - - + | | East
12 | | 13 14 | | 15 16 | | 17
| | | | | |
| | + - - - - + | |
| | | |
| | | |
|18 | 19 | 20 |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | 21 22 | |
| + - - - - - - - - -+ + - - - - - - - - - + |
| 23 24 | | 25 26 |
+ - - - - - - - - - - -+ + - - - - - - - - - - - -+
27 - South
0. Threadneedle Street
1. East Country Walk
2. Irish Walk
3. Scotch Walk
4. Dutch and Jewellers
5. Norway Walk
6. Silkmens Walk
7. Clothiers Walk
8. Hamburgh Walk
9. Salters Walk
10. Walk
11. American Walk
12. Castle Alley
13. Turkey Walk
14. Grocers and Druggists Walk
15. Brokers, &c of Stocks Walk
16. Italian Walk
17. Swithin's Alley
18. East India Walk
19. Canary Walk
20.
