Page 6: 18th century entertainments

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The eighteenth century social elite, both residents and visitors alike, also needed to be entertained. The most famous pleasure resort was Ranelagh Pleasure Gardens located south of the Royal Hospital. In 1741 a consortium took over Ranelagh House and its grounds. These were laid out as a pleasure garden. Opened in 1742 the centrepiece was a rotunda larger in diameter than the Coliseum in Rome, surrounded by an arcade. Outside there was a canal with a Chinese bridge and ornamental gardens. Entertainments included dancing, fireworks, masquerades, balloon ascents and concerts, one of which featured a performance by the eight year old Mozart. The gardens were very popular and Horace Walpole wrote, “It has totally beat Vauxhall…. You can’t set foot without treading on a Prince, or Duke of Cumberland.” It finally closed in 1803.

Don Saltero’s famous coffee house at 18 Cheyne Walk was opened in 1718 by John Salter, a former servant of Sir Hans Sloane. It attracted both the literati of the day and tourists anxious to see his ‘knackatory’ – an apt description of his amazing collection of weird objects and curios.

The inns, taverns and tea gardens of Chelsea and southern Kensington were also very popular and are often mentioned in contemporary diaries and literature by people such as Evelyn, Pepys and Walpole. Florida Gardens is a perfect example. Established in 1762 it is now the site of Stanhope Gardens. Here tea, music and other entertainments were on offer plus an ornamental garden and garden shop.