Bonner's Hall, formerly the Residence of Bishop Bonner

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Romanticism Classical Antiquity Architectural

Dominant colour

Bonner's Hall, formerly the Residence of Bishop Bonner is a 30 by T. H. Shepherd, a Romanticism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: T. H. Shepherd
When & what style?: 30 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This sketch shows a simple two-story building with a sloped roof and small windows. A person stands near the front door, while another walks by. The drawing is loose and quick, with light pencil lines and some darker shading. A sign on the building reads *"Catholine All"*—though it’s hard to make out. The artist wrote the date and title in the bottom corner: *"Bonner Hall, formerly the Residence of Bishop Bonner. Augt 30 1844."* The sketch feels like a quick note of a real place, not a polished work. If you like this style, look up cross-hatching to see how artists build shadows with lines.

The story of this work

Overview

The drawing depicts Bonner's Hall, a former residence of the bishops of London including Bishop Edmund Bonner, located near Bethnal Green. Constructed as an occasional residence, the building was demolished in 1845 to make way for Victoria Park. The artwork was part of the John Edmund Gardner collection of London topographical prints and drawings, which later passed through several owners before portions were donated to the Bethnal Green Museum.

Read the full account in the museum source.

About the artist

Artist

T. H. Shepherd

London draftsman T. H. Shepherd turned city walls and church spires into paper keepsakes. In 1827 he drew the freshly built St. Mary’s in old Haggerston, its brickwork still wet with mortar; fourteen years later he…

See the richer artist page