General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1838 Original Publisher: John Harris Subjects: Public buildings Architecture / General Architecture / History / General Architecture / Public, Commercial, or Industrial Buildings Architecture / Regional Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: THE ROYAL EXCHANGE. Before the year 1566, the British metropolis had no place for its merchants, who were accustomed to assemble for the transaction of business in the open air in Lombard Street, where they were, of course, exposed to many inconveniences. At length, Sir Thomas Gres- ham, a wealthy citizen, proposed to the Corporation that, if the City would give him a piece of ground in a commodious spot, he would erect an Exchange at his own expense, with large and covered walks wherein the merchants and traders might daily assemble, and transact business in all seasons, without interruption from the weather, or impediments of any kind. This offer was accepted, and eighty dwellings, forming part of Cornhill, and three alleys, were purchased at an expense of 4000/. and pulled down to make room for the intended building. On the llth of June 1566, Sir Thomas Gresham laid the foundation stone, and the work was finished in the beginning of 1568. When first opened, it was called the Burse; but, about three years afterwards, Queen Elizabeth, after dining with many of her nobility at the mansion of the public-spirited founder in Bishopsgate Street, visited it in great state, and caused it to be proclaimed " The Royal Exchange." The plan of this building embraced shops, chiefly occupied by haberdashers, armourers, apothecaries, booksellers, goldsmiths, glass- sellers; and, only two days before the Queen's visi...