Statue

Temple Bar memorial - Victoria

Erection date: 1881

The south side is the most weathered and sullied by traffic fumes which explains the poor condition of the marble statue of Queen Victoria in state robes holding golden sceptre and orb and wearing a gold crown. Carved in the stone above the statue is a crown, and below in a cartouche is "VR". 

Site: Temple Bar memorial (9 memorials)

EC4, Fleet Street

This is the site of the 17th century Temple Bar entrance to the City of London. Having become an obstruction to circulation it was removed in 1879 and this monument unveiled in 1881, as a memorial to the old Temple Bar and as a marker for the entrance to the City at the point where it was traditional for the Lord Mayor to welcome royal visitors to the City.

This is a typically overwrought late Victorian edifice, topped with a giant griffin (or dragon; there are competing definitions of the differences) by Charles Birch. The north and south sides hold large statues of Queen Victoria and, the soon to be, Edward VII. To east and west are medallion portraits of the Lord Mayor at the time, Sir Francis Wyatt Truscott, and Prince Albert Victor, the King we never had. At the bottom of the west face gilt lettering carved into the granite base announces "City of London".

Each side holds a bronze relief plaque, one of which states that the monument is aligned exactly with the west side the old Temple Bar and specifies the north-south displacement - a good example of Victorian flamboyance married to technical confidence. A carved pillar is placed at each corner, decorated with symbols for arts, science, peace and war.  Arts includes two busts: to the north Homer and to the south Chaucer.

We have treated many of these features as separate memorials and give more details of each one on its own page. Ornamental Passions has a very good post on this edifice.

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:
Temple Bar memorial - Victoria

Subjects commemorated i

Queen Victoria

Reigned: 1837-1901, 64 years. Born Kensington Palace. Daughter of Edward, Duk...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Temple Bar memorial - Victoria

Created by i

Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm

Born Vienna, educated England, granted English citizenship 1865. Sculptor in ...

Read More

This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Temple Bar memorial - Victoria

Also at this site i

Temple Bar memorial

Temple Bar memorial

{On the frieze at the top of the monument, above the columns, text runs aroun...

Read More

Temple Bar memorial - Edward VII

Temple Bar memorial - Edward VII

The niche on the north face holds a marble statue of the Prince of Wales, lat...

Read More

Temple Bar memorial - Homer

Temple Bar memorial - Homer

Homer {in ancient Greek lettering}

Read More

Temple Bar memorial - Prince Albert Victor

Temple Bar memorial - Prince Albert Victor

The west face is framed with pilasters each side, decorated with emblems of "...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Albert Grant & Shakespeare

Albert Grant & Shakespeare

WC2, Leicester Square

"There is no darkness but ignorance" is a quote from "Twelfth Night". The sculptor, Fontana, copied the statue by Scheemakers in Westmins...

3 subjects commemorated, 3 creators
Henry Fawcett statue - lost

Henry Fawcett statue - lost

SW8, Vauxhall Park

Donated by Henry Doulton and created in terracotta by Tinworth, who worked at Doulton’s nearby Lambeth factory where it was made. The bas...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Charlie Chaplin - statue

Charlie Chaplin - statue

WC2, Leicester Square

Unveiled by Sir Ralph.

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
V&A façade - Reynolds

V&A façade - Reynolds

SW7, Cromwell Road

Excluding the allegories (such as Knowledge) there are 36 statues on the two public façades of the V&A Museum, on Exhibition Road and...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Frieze of Parnassus - Wren

Frieze of Parnassus - Wren

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

Previously viewed

F. Hodges

F. Hodges

Employed at the Streatham bus garage. Served and was killed in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Edward Pauncfort

Edward Pauncfort

Tory MP. Early in the 1700s he moved into Lauderdale House and took a great interest in Highgate. He became the treasurer and one of the governors of Highgate School and its Chapel. In Southwoo...

Person, Benefactor, Education, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Alex. Nye
War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Stepney Meeting House

Stepney Meeting House

E1, 145 Stepney Way, Stepney Meeting House United Reformed Church

This church, the Stepney Meeting House United Reformed Church, is a union of the former Stepney Meeting House Congregational Church found...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Robert Burns

Robert Burns

Born Alloway, Ayrshire. Wrote in the Scots language, and also in a Scots dialect which is accessible to English speakers. Also collected traditional songs. Scots the world over celebrate his birth ...

Person, Poetry, Seriously Famous, Scotland

1 memorial