Plaque

Astley's Circus - St Thomas's Hospital Gardens

Erection date: 14/9/2018

Inscription

1769 - 1893. Here stood Astley's Royal Amphitheatre, the world's first circus building. Celebrating the invention of modern circus by riding master Philip Astley in 1768.
Commemorative stone laid September 2018.
Donated by Zippos Circus, London's favourite circus.

London SE1 has a magnificent photo of the circus folk that accompanied the unveiling, which took place in the year of the 250th anniversary of the first performance in Lambeth by Philip Astley, widely regarded as the father of modern circus.

Site: Astley's Circus - St Thomas's Hospital Gardens (1 memorial)

SE1, Westminster Bridge Road, St Thomas's Hospital Gardens

The stone is laid into the paving between the benches in our photo.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of plaquesoflondon.co.uk

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This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Astley's Circus - St Thomas's Hospital Gardens

Subjects commemorated i

Astley's Amphitheatre

Considered to be the world's first circus ring. Erected in 1769 on the site o...

Philip Astley

Equestrian performer and circus proprietor. Born Newcastle under Lyme. Aged 1...

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Astley's Circus - St Thomas's Hospital Gardens

Created by i

Zippos Circus

Founded by Martin Burton, who formerly performed as a circus clown called Zippo.

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