GREAT MEN AND MONUMENTS
CHARLES DICKENS 1812 - 1870
Dickens started work as a reporter, first at the Law Courts and then in Parliament, and began to contribute articles to various magazines. His first full length novel, The Pickwick Papers, grew from what amounted to a magazine strip cartoon. The cascade of brilliantly descriptive novels which followed reflected his acute observations of society and sympathy for his his often grotesque characters. In his later years Dickens embarked on an exhausting series of public readings at which he read his own works, and toured America in 1867. He pushed himself beyond the limits of physical endurance and died at Gads Hill on June 9th, 1870, leaving his final novel, Edwin Drood, uncompleted.
DICKEN'S HOUSE
48 Doughty Street
Dickens and his family lived here from 1837 to 1839, during which period he completed The Pickwick Papers, and wrote Lover Twist and Nicholas Nickleby. There is a reconstruction of Dingly Dell Kitchen, as described in The Pickwick Papers, in the basement.
JOHN KEATS 1795 - 1821
Born in London, Kreats was apprenticed to a surgeon and worked for a time at Guys' and St Thomas' hospitals. By 1817 however, he had forsaken his profession and devoted his life to writing poetry. His first work, Poems, was published that same year, and Endymion, a lengthy poem based on Greek legends, appeared in 1818. From 1818 to 1820 Keats lived at Wentworth Place with his friend Charles Brown, while next door lived his lover nurse Fanny Brawne. It was here that Keats produced his greatest poetry, including the famous Odes. By 1820 he was crippled by tuberculosis, and not even a journey to the more equable Italian climate could halt its progress. Keats died in Rome on February 23rd, 1821, leaving behind, in addition to his poetry, what is probably the most spontaneous and revealing collection of letters written by any English poet.
KEAT'S HOUSE
Wentworth Place, Keats Grove, Hampstead
The two regency housed occupied by Keats and Fanny Brawne have now been made into one. They are furnished in period style and contain manuscripts, letters and relics. Ode to a Nightingale was written in the garden.
SAMUEL PEPYS 1633 - 1703
Pepys went to university at Cambridge, and held several clerical positions before beginning work at the Admiralty in 1660. He began to keep a diary at about this time, was forced to discontinue his daily recordings in 1669, due to the deterioration of hes eyesight, the journal ran to 1,250,000 words. It has been called a descriptive work of art and is undoubtedly the best account of life in Charles II's London, with its eyewitness accounts of the Coronation, the Plague and the Great Fire, not to mention revealing pen-portraits of his contemporaries. Pepys' continuing dedication to his work at the Admiralty was rewarded in 1673 when he was appointed administrative head of the navy. He immediately began to attack the corruption which had been spreading throughout the service, thus making enemies who were determined to bring about his downfall. In 1678 an attempt was made to implicate him in a murder and when this failed, a false charge of treason was brought against him and he was sent to the Tower, only escaping with his life because the current Parliament was dissolved. Charles II reinstated Pepys in 1683 and he held his former post at the Admiralty until his retirement in 1689. The diarist spent his final years among his books, researching a history of the navy, which remained incomplete at his death in 1703. Samuel Pepys lived at 12 Buckingham Street, from 1679 until 1688. The house is marked with a blue plaque but is not open to the public. No. 14, where he lived from 1688 to 1700, has been demolished.
ARTHUR WELLESLEY, 1ST DUKE OF WELLINGTON 1769 - 1852
Born in Dublin, Wellesley completed his early military training in France, and for the next few years divided his time between the army and the Irish House of Commons. Active service in India at the turn of the 18th-century earned him a knighthood, but it was the Peninsular War, which began in 1808, that enabled him to demonstrate his military expertise to the full. Within five years he had driven the French out of Portugal and Spain and defeated Napoleon's army in 1814 at Toulouse. Wellesley received his dukedom, plus other decorations, following this campaign. His final strategic confrontation with Napoleon took place the following year, culminating in the Battle of Waterloo on June 18th, 1815. The Duke then resumed his political career and in 1828 became Prime Minister. His staunch opposition to sweeping change made him extremely unpopular and the windows of Apsley House were broken so many times that they had to be covered with iron shutters. He retired from public life in 1846, and died six years later at Walmer Castle, his official residence as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports.
WELLINGTON'S HOUSE
Apsley House, 149 Piccadilly
This mansion was designed by Robert Adam in the late 18th-century and was the property of the Duke from 1817 until his death. It was opened to the public as the Wellington Museum in 1952.
SIR CHRISTOPHER WREN 1632 - 1723
Originally from Wiltshire, Wren studied science at oxford, and later became a professor of astronomy, a subject in which he always kept an active interest. He visited France in 1665, primarily to study architectural styles, and on his return to England formulated plans for the re-modelling of St Paul's Cathedral. Before these plans could come to fruition fate took a hand and the Great Fire engulfed the cathedral and a large proportion of the City. Wren submitted a plan for the complete reconstruction of the City as soon as the Fire had been extinguished, and although it was not accepted, he was subsequently selected to join the rebuilding committee and was appointed general surveyor in 1669. Never before, or since, has one architect undertaken the simultaneous rebuilding of a major cathedral and as many as 50 churches. He died on February 25th, 1723 and was buried in the cathedral. His epitaph reads simply; 'If you seek a monument, look about you'.
WREN'S HOUSE
49 Bankside
A plaque on the wall of this 17th-century house marks the building in which Wren lived while supervising the rebuilding of St Paul's.
PRINCE ALBERT
The Albert Memorial, Kensington Gore
This enormous and imposing memorial is a monument not only to Prince Albert, but also to the benevolent aspects of Victorian Imperialism. The memorial was commissioned by Queen Victoria in memory of her husband, and was designed by Sir Gilbert Scott in 1872. The sculpture of the Prince, which was made by John Foley, sits under an ornate and intricately decorated canopy. The Prince is depicted reading a catalogue of the Great Exhibition of 1851, for which he was largely responsible.
ALFRED THE GREAT
Trinity Church Square, off Trinity Street
Thought to date from 1395, this is the oldest statue in London. It was brought here from the old Palace of Westminster in 1822.
QUEEN ANNE
Queen Anne's Gate
Dating from the early 18th-century, this little statue was probably moved here from the Church of St Mary-le-Strand. The Queen is depicted in state robes.
QUEEN BOADICEA
Westminster Bridge
Thomas Thornycroft made this statue of Queen Boadicea, or Boudicca, in 1902. She is depicted in her war chariot, accompanied by her daughters, and appears to be defiantly waving her spear at the Houses of Parliament.
GEORGE CANNING
Parliament Square
This 19th-century statue by Sir Richard Westmacott is chiefly notable for the fact that while it was still in the sculptor's studio it fell over and killed a man.
CHARLES I
Trafalgar Square
Cast in bronze in 1633, this statue was to have been melted down during the Commonwealth, but was hidden and re-erected in 1660. It was moved to Mentmore in Buckinghamshire during World War II and was replaced in 1947 with a new sword. The original sword is said to have been dislodged by a photographer in 1867 and stolen while a procession was in progress.
SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL
Parliament Square
This statue of the great statesman and war leader was unveiled in 1973 and depicts Churchill in a typically pugnacious attitude.
SIR HENRY IRVING
St Martin's Place
Irving is regarded as being one of the greatest actors who ever lived. This statue was erected in 1910, and is the only one in London of an actor.
JAMES II
Trafalgar Square
Usually regarded as the finest statue in London, this figure of the King was made by Grinling Gibbons.
LORD NELSON
Trafalgar Square
This 17 foot, 4 inch statue by E.H Bailey stands on the top of the famous column. Together they reach a combined height of almost 185 feet. Four identical lions, cast from a single original by Sir Edwin Landseer, guard the base of the column. This memorial to the nation's greatest sailor was set up between 1842 and 1867.
SIR WALTER RALEIGH
Banqueting House, Whitehall
Raleigh was beheaded near this spot in 1618. The statue, which was erected in 1959, is extremely small, reflecting Raleigh's diminutive stature.
RICHARD I
Old Palace Yard
Baron Carlo Marochetti made this spirited equestrian statue of Richard the Lionheart in the mid-19th-century.
QUEEN VICTORIA
Queen Victoria Memorial, The Mall
This elegant group of statuary stands in front of Buckingham Palace. It was designed by Sir Aston Webb, and the sculptures were made by Sir Thomas Brock..
THE 1ST DUKE OF WELLINGTON
Hyde Park Corner
The Duke is shown here riding Copenhagen, the horse he rode throughout the Battle of Waterloo. Copenhagen was buried with full military honours at the Duke's country home, Stratfield Saye, Hampshire.
DUKE OF YORK
Carlton House Terrace
Sir Richard Westmacott's 13 foot-high statue of 'The Grand Old Duke of York' crowns a lofty column overlooking St James' Park. Both column and statue were erected in 1833.
LEGENDARY FIGURES
ARCHILLES
Hyde Park
This statue of the most famous of the Greek heroes was designed by Sir Richard Westmacott. It was made from a cannon captured during the Peninsular Wars and erected in 1822.
EROS
Piccadilly Circus
One of London's most famous landmarks, this figure of an archer was erected as a memorial to the Victorian reformer and philanthropist, the Earl of Shaftesbury. The archer actually represents the Angel of Christian Charity, not Eros.
THE GRIFFIN
Strand
The Griffin, the unofficial badge of the City of London, stands at the point where the Strand ends and Fleet Street begins. Originally this was the site of the Old Temple Bar gateway, and the spot traditionally marks the western limit of the City.
PETER PAN
Kensington Gardens
This statue of Sir James Barrie's immortal character has delighted several generations of children. It was made by Sir George Frampton in 1911.
THE WHITTINGTON STONE
Highgate Hill
Dick Whittington is supposed to have sat on this spot and heard Bow Bells chiming: 'Turn again Whittington, Thrice Mayor of London'. Whittington actually was mayor of London three times during the 14th-century.
COMMEMORATIVE MONUMENTS
THE BURGHERS OF CALAIS
Victoria Tower Gardens
Rodin's superb group of figures represents the citizens of Calais who surrendered to Edward III in 1340 to save their town from destruction.
THE FAT BOY
Giltspur Street
This peculiar gilded figure marks the spot, originally known as Pie Corner, where the Great Fire was halted in 1666.
MONUMENT
Monument Street
Sir Christopher Wren designed the 202 foot fluted Doric column as a memorial of the Great Fire of London, which started exactly 202 feet from it in Pudding Lane. Superb views over the City can be obtained from its viewing gallery, reached by climbing 345 steps. |
