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Cheyne Walk is a bit of old London, with its quaint old fashioned houses and its row of noble trees. The picturesque aspect has been much destroyed by the Thames Embankment, which now runs in front of it. Before the construction of this modern improvement, the old brick facing of the roadway, the boats which lay at the foot of the wooden steps, the quiet river which flowed by in front, were in keeping with the houses half hidden behind the trees and the old parish church at the west end of the row. Cheyne row is still, however, picturesque and quiet, and is the abode of many artists and literary men. East of Cheyne walk are the gardens of the Apothecaries' Company, with their famous cedars, considered as among the oldest and finest in the country.
Charles Dickens (Jr.), Dickens's Dictionary of London, 1879
George Birch, The Descriptive Album of London, c.1896
CHEYNE WALK, Chelsea (Map 11) is a bit of old London, with its quaint old fashioned houses and its row of noble trees. The picturesque aspect has not been much destroyed by the Thames Embankment, which now runs in front of it. Cheyne-row is still picturesque and quiet, and the abode of many artists and sculptors. The interest in it will always be centred in Thomas Carlyle, whose statue is at one end, and whose house, No. 24, where he lived from 1834 until his death in 1881, is opened as a Memorial Museum. There is a touch of pathos about this residence, in the light of the history of its occupants, "The Sage of Chelsea" and his wife. Most of his books were written here. Everything of interest is preserved in it as it was in their lifetime, so that if you have been under the influence of his writings and have followed his hammering out the problems of life with torrents of burning words, you are likely to visit here, this unpretentious house, with a feeling of almost reverence - and perhaps return home and take down his books and read them again with a closer interest. The admission to the house is 1s., Sat. 6d. (open from 10 till sunset). NEAREST Ry. Stn. is probably South Kensington. Omnibuses through King's-rd, Chelsea, pass within a short distance of both Cheyne walk and row.
Charles Dickens Jr. et al, Dickens Dictionary of London,
c.1908 edition
(no date; based on internal evidence)