Statue

Holborn Viaduct - Walworth

Erection date: 1868

Inscription

{On a granite plaque below the statue:}
Sir William Walworth, Mayor 1374 to 1375 and 1380 to 1381.

The sword he sports represents the one which removed Tyler's head, the original of which (the sword, not the head) is on display at the Fishmongers' Company.

Site: Holborn Viaduct - Walworth (1 memorial)

EC4, Holborn Viaduct

Holborn Viaduct, built across the Fleet valley to connect Holborn with Newgate Street, was opened by Queen Victoria on 6 November 1869, the same day she opened Blackfriars Bridge. The development included buildings, or pavilions, designed by William Haywood, at each corner, each housing a flight of steps linking Holborn Viaduct with Farringdon Street below and displaying a statue on the first floor facade. The firm Farmer & Brindley produced much of the sculpture, but not the statues.

On the bridge itself are four bronze statues, of scantily dressed women representing Fine Arts, Science, Agriculture and Commerce.

Holborn Viaduct is watched over by four memorial statues:
north-west corner - Walworth (rebuilt c.2001)
south-west corner - Fitz Eylwin
south-east corner - Gresham
north-east corner - Myddelton (rebuilt c.2014)

The sculptor of all 4 statues and Commerce and Agriculture was Henry Bursill. For more info on the Viaduct see Patrick Baty.

A London Inheritance have a photo to show that this pavilion is a replica of the original which was badly damaged in WW2. The first reconstruction of this corner had a massive Atlantic House covering the whole site but in 2001 that was replaced with this, at least equally massive, building but with this recreation of the pavilion on the corner.

Engineering Tmelines has a full history of the Viaduct. Ian Visits has photographed the 4 stairwells.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Holborn Viaduct - Walworth

Subjects commemorated i

Sir William Walworth

Fishmonger and Mayor 1374 to 1375 and 1380 to 1381. During the Peasants' Revo...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Holborn Viaduct - Walworth

Created by i

Henry Bursill

Bursill also sculpted the allegorical statues on Holborn bridge and seems to ...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Queen Victoria statue - Carlton House Terrace

Queen Victoria statue - Carlton House Terrace

SW1, Carlton House Terrace, 15

This statue used to be in the Constitutional Club (disbanded 1979) at 28 Northumberland Avenue.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Frieze of Parnassus - Rubens

Frieze of Parnassus - Rubens

SW7, Kensington Road

The monument, officially titled the Prince Consort National Memorial, celebrates Victorian achievement and Prince Albert's passions and i...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Mary Seacole statue

Mary Seacole statue

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

The statue is lit at night and the shadow of the figure on the bronze disk photographs well.

2 subjects commemorated, 3 creators
Epstein at TUC

Epstein at TUC

WC1, Great Russell Street, Congress House

This sculpture was commissioned for the building as a war memorial commemorating the sacrifices of trade unionists in the two world wars....

3 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Dennis Bergkamp

Dennis Bergkamp

N7, Hornsey Road, Emirates Stadium

The statue was unveiled in Bergkamp's lifetime which puts him in a select club - see Fenner Brockway statue.

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators