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.

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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 ...

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Astley's Circus - St Thomas's Hospital Gardens

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

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London Palladium

London Palladium

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Carleton Hobbs

Carleton Hobbs

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Clare Ferraby

Clare Ferraby

Theatrical interior designer. Her major projects include the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield; the Old Vic; the Prince Edward Theatre, London and the Victoria Palace Theatre.

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Cinema Theatre Association

Cinema Theatre Association

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1 memorial
Alastair Sim

Alastair Sim

Character actor. Born Edinburgh. Only became a professional actor aged about 30. Worked in Shakespeare at the Old Vic and then spent the 1950s making many British films, such as the 1954 The Belles...

Person, Cinema, Theatre, Scotland

1 memorial