Relief

City University

Inscription

{To the top left of the section in our photo:}
H & P. R. Montford Sc. 1896

This lovely frieze which represents the "Useful Arts", runs across above the main entrance to the building. On either side cherubs present musical instruments and masks, representing the arts of music and drama. In the section to the right of the arch there is a semi-naked woman (representing fertility, possibly) surrounded by a shepherd, a cornucopia of fruit, a peasant carrying an armful of wheat, and another reaching for an arrow to put in his bow while his dog fidgets to be off.

On the left hand side we have this scene, a central medieval king-like person, who has wedged a handy anchor under his throne. To his right there is a young man measuring a globe with a pair of dividers. Behind the king's head an angel is presenting a dome, the dome of this building. To the king's left we have a lad wielding a pick-axe and another holding a flask. A girl sits at his feet stydying a book. The angel-with-dome scene seems to represent the gift of this building.

We were initially puzzled about the king.  Who was he and why is he here?  Via Twitter, Stephen Critchley suggested Alfred the Great and when we checked we found that he died almost exactly 1000 years before this building was erected, and, as Wikipedia says “undertook an ... ambitious effort to revive learning”, just like the Northampton Institute.  We’re delighted that Stephen has solved the puzzle. 

Site: City University (1 memorial)

EC1, St John Street, College Building

The land, and possibly the building too, was given by the 4th Marquess of Northampton and his son. Founded in 1894 as the Northampton Institute on its present site and awarded full university status in 1966. The Institute's first building was designed in 1894 by the architect Edward W Mountford (1855-1908), later the architect of the Old Bailey.

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:
City University

Subjects commemorated i

Alfred the Great

King of the West Saxons and of the Anglo-Saxons. Born Wantage. Introduced a l...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
City University

Created by i

Paul Raphael Montford

Sculptor. Born in Kentish Town to father Horace. Other works in London: Batte...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Stuart House - James I arrives in London

Stuart House - James I arrives in London

SW3, Cadogan Square, Stuart House, 84

This Queen Anne style house was designed in 1880 by architect F.G. Knight for Oscar Leslie Stephen, a director of the Great Northern Rail...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Faraday on the ICI building entrance doors

Faraday on the ICI building entrance doors

SW1, Millbank, 9, Imperial Chemical House

These doors are in the centre of the river frontage of the building. Mapping of sculpture alerted us to this memorial: "The ground floor...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Phoenix Fire Office

Phoenix Fire Office

EC3, Cornhill

Around the top are some delightful reliefs in iron of the badges of early fire insurance companies: Sun, Phoenix, London and Royal Exchan...

1 subject commemorated
Novello's printing works - music

Novello's printing works - music

W1, Hollen Street

These reliefs are high up, at either end of the building. Not really memorials so normally we would not have collected these lovely cheru...

1 subject commemorated
Sealing of the Magna Carta - Parliament Square

Sealing of the Magna Carta - Parliament Square

SW1, Little George Street, Supreme Court

At one time this was the site of nearby Westminster Abbey's Sanctuary Tower and Belfry. This building was designed by James S. Gibson an...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator