On the river side of Whitehall, the first floor (second to Americans), roughly parallel to the river. So called because of the mats covering the floor. For those with business at the palace, it was a convenient semi-private walk. The Duke of York’s closet and chief apartments were reached from it in the 1660s, with subsidiary rooms belonging to him on the floor below. Beneath it was the (equally long and thin) Stone Gallery.
The area shown on the map is approximate, based on this 1680 map and pp.480-1 of the Latham & Matthews Companion.
5 Annotations
First Reading
language hat • Link
The Matted (or Long) Gallery in Whitehall:
The Companion volume tells us that it was on the first (ie, second, to Americans) floor, more or less parallel to the river, and ran from the east end of the Privy Gallery (which contained the king's bedchamber) to a staircase leading down to the Bowling Green (adjoining Whitehall's central Privy Garden on the south). "For those with business at the palace, it was a convenient semi-private walk. The Duke of York's closet and chief apartments [on the riverfront] were reached from it..."
language hat • Link
Shown as "Stone Gallery" on this map:
http://www.londonancestor.com/map…
François Thouvenot • Link
But why "matted"? Does it imply that the floor or the walls were covered with carpets or tapestry?
Second Reading
San Diego Sarah • Link
in Aqua Scripto on 21 Dec 2005 • Link • Flag
"...I walked together a good while in the Matted Gallery...", so called because it be matted [not dull] with reeds, along with sweet smelling fragranced brushes from the country side along withe scrubs of wormwood for killing of the lice [ escapees from passers bye]. A titbit lifted from E.Picard Elizabeths London. [Then everything be recycled]
Third Reading
San Diego Sarah • Link
More from in Aqua Scripto on 12 Jan 2006:
'Tis why White hall has a matted Gallery [used the wormwood] as noted by Pedro "While wormwoode hath seede, get a bundle or twayne,
to save against March, to make flea to refraine."