side, covering
the site of River Terrace, now torn down, and River Street, stood "the
Palace," so called from its having been frequently honoured by the
presence of royalty. It is described as having been a spacious red-brick
mansion of the Elizabethan style of architecture, forming three sides of
a square, with plate-glass windows overlooking the river, and possessed
of extensive gardens and pleasure-grounds. It was built within a
courtyard, and approached by iron gates. It occupied the site of the
ancient mansion of the Welbecks, and was erected by John Lacey, citizen
and clothworker of London, in 1596. Queen Elizabeth honoured Lacey with
her company more frequently than any of her subjects, and between the
years 1579 and 1603 at least twelve or fourteen visits of hers to this
house at Putney are recorded. The house is mentioned as the headquarters
of Fairfax in 1647. In that year, when Charles I. was at Hampton Court,
all the Parliamentary Generals were at Putney. Cromwell was at Mr.
Bonhunt's, the site of which is not known; Ireton at Mr. Campion's (a
school in the occupation of Rev. Mr. Adams when Lysons wrote, and now
covered by Cromwell Place); Fleetwood was at Mr. Martin's; and the other
officers at neighbouring mansions, of which at that time there seem to
have been many. Councils were held in the church, seated round the
Communion-table, the officers afterwards listening to a sermon. Two days
after the King escaped from Hampton the army quitted Putney, having been
there some three months.

Facing the river near the Putney Steamboat Pier is a big hotel, the Star
and Garter, for long a landmark at Putney, and recently rebuilt in all
the splendour of red brick and gilt. Beyond this formerly stood a number
of old houses--Clyde House, Riverside House, Thanet Lodge, Laburnum
House, Windsor House, and Point House; these had tiled roofs and
bay-windows, and formed a picturesque group. They have recently been
replaced by large mansions, called Star and Garter, and University
Mansions. In Spring Gardens was formerly a curious collection of the
cottages of watermen and boatmen, but these have now vanished. The lane
has been paved and the whole district altered.

West of this as far as the common many alterations have taken place in
the last few years, and now the market-gardens and fields are covered
with street after street of small two-storied cottages stretching in
straight lines from the Lower Richmond Road to the