Page 143 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - London

HOLBORN AND THE INNS OF C OUR T  141

the 17th-century poet, were
both students here, as was
William Penn, founder of the
US state of Pennsylvania.

3 Lincoln’s Inn
Fields
WC2. Map 14 D1. 1 Holborn.
Open dawn–dusk daily. Public
tennis courts.

This used to be a public
execution site. Under the Tudors Skeletons on display in the Hunterian Museum
and the Stuarts, many religious
martyrs, and those suspected 4 Hunterian and animal anatomical
of treachery to the Crown, Museum specimens to aid his teaching.
perished here. The museum was hit by a
When the developer William 35–43 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, WC2. bomb in 1941 but of the
Newton wanted to build here in Map 14 D1. Tel 020 7869 6560. collection of 14,000 objects,
the 1640s, students at Lincoln’s 1 Holborn, Chancery Lane. over 3,000 remain, including
Inn and other residents made Closed for refurbishment until 2020. some of the most famous,
8 1pm Wed, book in advance =
him undertake that the land in 7 ∑ hunterianmuseum.org such as the skeleton of
the centre would remain a Charles Byrne, the “Irish Giant”
public area forever. Thanks to Inside the Royal College of (somewhat controversially as
this early protest, tennis is Surgeons, the Hunterian Byrne wished to be buried at
played here throughout the Museum started life as the sea). It’s not a museum for the
summer, and lawyers read their personal collection of John squeamish, but the surgical
briefs in the fresh air. For some Hunter (1728–93), one of the instruments and interactive
years, it has also been the site leading teachers of surgery displays on modern surgery
of an evening soup kitchen for in his day, who amassed a are fascinating for those with
some of London’s homeless. large collection of human an interest in the subject.

Every wall is covered, and every In the picture gallery, panels The Monk’s Parlour
room filled, with artifacts from covered with paintings unfold is full of grotesque
Soane’s massive collection. to reveal more works of art Gothic casts.
behind them.

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