Building    From 1769  To 1893

Astley's Amphitheatre

Categories: Theatre

Considered to be the world's first circus ring. Erected in 1769 on the site of what is now St Thomas's Hospital on the south side of Westminster Bridge Road. The showman Philip Astley, (from British History) "took a large piece of ground, of a timber-merchant, … and, inclosing it circularly with boarding, erected seats for an audience, with a pent-house roof, covered with canvas". The building was subsequently enhanced many times, changed names repeatedly and burnt down thrice. Finally demolished in 1893. Our picture shows the frontage in about 1850. Mentioned by Dickens in 'Bleak House'. And in Jane Austen's 'Emma' Harriet Smith’s visit to Astley’s with the Knightly family results in her engagement to Robert Martin (finally). The V&A have some wonderful pictures of the circus in earlier times.

Managed by William Batty 1842-53, who in 1851 set up a similar show ring close to the Great Exhibition.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Astley's Amphitheatre

Commemorated ati

Astley's Circus

The plaque is no longer there and actually looks like it was not intended to ...

Read More

Astley's Circus - St Thomas's Hospital Gardens

London SE1 has a magnificent photo of the circus folk that accompanied the un...

Read More

Other Subjects

Marie Lloyd

Marie Lloyd

Music hall artiste. Born Matilda Alice Victoria Wood at 36 Plumber Street, Hoxton. She made her debut at the Eagle Tavern in 1884, using the name Bella Delmere. The following year, she changed her ...

Person, Music / songs, Seriously Famous, Theatre

3 memorials
Frances (Fanny) Burney

Frances (Fanny) Burney

Born King's Lynn, Norfolk, father was Dr Charles Burney. Diarist, novelist: Evelina (1778), Cecelia (1782), Camilla (1796) and playwright. Her first novel, Evelina, was a big success and she ent...

Person, Literature, Theatre, Belgium, France

2 memorials
William Wycherley

William Wycherley

Playwright. No birth information but baptised in 1641 in Hampshire. Wrote The Country Wife and The Plain Dealer. Died in Bow Street.

Person, Theatre

1 memorial
Sir Ian Mckellen

Sir Ian Mckellen

Born Burnley, Lancashire. Versatile stage and film actor with a repertoire ranging from the classics through science fiction films and pantomime to Coronation Street. He ‘came out’ in 1988 and ha...

Person, Cinema, Seriously Famous, Theatre

4 memorials

Previously viewed

Henry Poole

Henry Poole

Architectural sculptor. Born Westminster. Son of architectural sculptor Samuel Poole and brother of painter Samuel Jr. He studied with G. F. Watts and was a Studio assistant on Physical Energy. Pro...

Person, Sculpture

6 memorials