A 18th century view of Somerset House

An elevated view of old Somerset House from the river, showing the different styles of the buildings, over fifty years before Sir William Chambers rebuilt it. On the river is the 'Folly', a pleasure boat which Samuel Pepys visited in 1668 and by Mary II in the 1690s. Having degenerated into a place of debauchery, it was supressed about the time this view was published and chopped up for firewood., The plate was engraved by Johannes Kip (1653-1722) and published in John's Strype's 'A Survey of the Cities of London and Westminster', a continuation of 'Stow's Survey'. This example comes from the first edition.