RANELAGH

former resort by the River Thames in the borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London. Land east of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, was bought in 1690 by Richard Jones, 3rd Viscount Ranelagh, later 1st earl of Ranelagh, who built a mansion and laid out gardens. Opened to the public in 1742, it became a fashionable resort, with its ornamental lake and its large Rotunda as major attractions. William Jones built the Rotunda, which included a columned central fireplace, an orchestra stand, and booths around its walls for drinking and smoking. The buildings were demolished in 1805, and the site was repurchased by the Royal Hospital.