Erection date: 21/12/1888
{Left of plinth:} 1769-1852.
{Right of plinth:} Wellington.
{Base of statue at front left of plinth:} 1st Guards.
{Base of statue at front right of plinth:} 42nd Royal Highlanders.
{Base of statue at rear right of plinth:} 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers.
{Base of statue at rear left of plinth:} 6th Inniskilling Dragoons.
{Left of base on each of the four attendant statues:} J.E. Boehm. Fecit.
Statue unveiled by the Prince of Wales. The figures of the soldiers were cast from twelve French cannons captured by Wellington's forces at various battles. Wikipedia reports that Gilbert claimed to have modelled the horse.
Site: Duke of Wellington statue - SW1 (5 memorials)
W1, Hyde Park Corner
The large terrace area around the statue is worth commenting on. It's clearly original and has somehow survived. There are 4 concentric bands, some plain mosaic, some patterned mosaic with a fancy Greek key design, some in a bold design from stone of two colours. The Victorians would do this sort of thing without thinking about it; we've lost the art.
Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk
