8 December 2012

Samuel Pepys in the City: London #45


'SITE OF THE
NAVY OFFICE
IN WHICH
SAMUEL PEPYS
LIVED AND WORKED
DESTROYED BY FIRE
1673'
 
The above plaque is at the west side of Pepys Street near Seething Lane.
 
'SAMUEL PEPYS
DIARIST
1663–1703
ERECTED BY
THE SAMUEL PEPYS CLUB
AND PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION
1983'
 
Pepys's bust is in Seething Lane Gardens. Pepys and Sir William Penn are said to have buried their wine and parmesan cheese in the Navy Office gardens to protect them from the fire of London in 1666. The horns are unintentional.
 
The Hung Drawn & Quartered pub in Great Tower Street is named after Pepys's famous black-humoured remark shown on the wall:
 
'"I went to see
Major General Harrison
Hung Drawn and Quartered.
He was looking as cheerful
as any man could
in that condition."
 
Samuel Pepys
13th October 1660'
 
Thomas Harrison was one of the signatories of King Charles I's death warrant and a leader of the Fifth Monarchists. Harrison was executed at Charing Cross.

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