An Evening of Magic at Vauxhall Gardens
The mystery. The magic. The intrigue. Modern day events can’t hold a candle to the pleasure gardens of old.
Did you ever wonder what I’ve written several posts about the pleasure gardens of Britain. I find them fascinating! And, of course, they make the perfect spot for intrigue in romance novels!
Pleasure gardens were a major source of entertainment and a venue where people from all walks of life mixed it up. Although there were literally dozens of pleasure gardens during the Regency era, Vauxhall Gardens was the undisputed queen of them and definitely the best known.
Nobody is exactly sure when Vauxhall opened, but they had at least opened their doors as New Spring Gardens in 1661. By 1785, quite a few changes had occurred, and it was known as Vauxhall Gardens. In the years leading up to 1793, there had been periods of great innovation and the gardens were infused with an air of elegance and refinement. But the times were a’changing!
In 1793, the gardens started catering more to the masses with fire balloons and fireworks extravaganzas, circus acts, and a slew of other diversions. Around 5:00 or 6:00 p.m. the gates were thrown wide and the venue remained open until the last patron left (which might very well be the next day!).
Events were over the top. In 1817, the reenactment of the Battle of Waterloo purportedly had a cast of a 1,000 soldiers. In 1749 , nearly 12,000 people crowed in for a musical fireworks event. A celebration to honor the gardens’ owners drew nearly 61,000 people. Everything was on a grand scale.
Renowned entertainers of the day performed at the gardens and members of the upper crust like Frederick, Prince of Wales, attended. And a not-to-be-missed daily highlight was at twilight. As darkness descended, several thousand lamps were simultaneously lit in a dazzling display which set the tone for an evening of enchantment.
Acres of beautifully manicured ground and walkways were interspersed with statuary and artworks, and fountains, as well as both whimsical and elegant architectural features such as the “Turkish Tent” and the Rotunda. One of the sculptures, a stature of George Frideric Handel created by the famed French artist, Louis-François Roubiliac, can be found in the Victoria and Albert Museum, though for a time it resided in Westminster Abbey.
The Grand Walk at Vauxhall Gardens
Aerial view of Vauxhall Gardens
Supper boxes at Vauxhall Gardens
And an evening of concerts and dancing near the beautiful Gothic orchestra pit just wouldn’t have been complete for members of the ton without a visit to the supper boxes in the elaborately decorated open-air building, embellished with paintings by artists such as Francis Hayman or his students.
Vauxhall Gardens was ahead of its time in essentially pioneering entertainment, catering and lighting on a mass and grand scale. Over time, the gardens fell out favor and after nearly two hundred years, closed in July of 1859.
Unfortunately, in today’s world, there is simply no way to replicate the pure magic that Vauxhall provided the people of that time, but if there was, I’d be one of the first to buy admission.
