clipped from: www.urban75.org   
Said to be one of the inspirations of Central Park, New York and the largest public square in London, Lincoln's Inn Fields was laid out in part by Inigo Jones from the early 17th century.

The Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre ran on the site from 1661 and hosted John Gay's The Beggar's Opera in January 1728, and Handel's final two operas in 1740 and 1741.

It was also the scene of a grisly exection in 1683, where the executioner, Jack Ketch, made such a cock up the public beheading of Lord William Russell, that he took four axe blows before the head was separated from the body.

After the first blow failed miserably to despatch the Lord, Russell looked up and said to him "You dog, did I give you 10 guineas to use me so inhumanely?".

Opened up to the public after its acquisition by London County Council in 1895, the park is now in the hands of the London Borough of Camden and offers tennis and netball facilities and a bandstand.
A walk around Holborn, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Law Courts and the Strand, London WC2
A walk around Holborn, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Law Courts and the Strand, London WC2
A walk around Holborn, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Law Courts and the Strand, London WC2
A walk around Holborn, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Law Courts and the Strand, London WC2
A walk around Holborn, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Law Courts and the Strand, London WC2
A walk around Holborn, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Law Courts and the Strand, London WC2
A walk around Holborn, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Law Courts and the Strand, London WC2
A walk around Holborn, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Law Courts and the Strand, London WC2
A walk around Holborn, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Law Courts and the Strand, London WC2
A walk around Holborn, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Law Courts and the Strand, London WC2
A walk around Holborn, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Law Courts and the Strand, London WC2
A walk around Holborn, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Law Courts and the Strand, London WC2
A walk around Holborn, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Law Courts and the Strand, London WC2
A walk around Holborn, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Law Courts and the Strand, London WC2
A walk around Holborn, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Law Courts and the Strand, London WC2
A walk around Holborn, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Law Courts and the Strand, London WC2
A walk around Holborn, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Law Courts and the Strand, London WC2
A walk around Holborn, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Law Courts and the Strand, London WC2
A walk around Holborn, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Law Courts and the Strand, London WC2
A walk around Holborn, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Law Courts and the Strand, London WC2
A walk around Holborn, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Law Courts and the Strand, London WC2
A walk around Holborn, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Law Courts and the Strand, London WC2
A walk around Holborn, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Law Courts and the Strand, London WC2
A walk around Holborn, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Law Courts and the Strand, London WC2