Monument

Orme Square eagle

Site: Orme Square eagle (1 memorial)

W2, Orme Square

British History Online refers to this feature as “An eagle on a double Tuscan column, of unknown origin, stands in front of a garden…”. So, no date, no sculptor, no commissioner. Let’s get stuck in…

Orme Square is named after its developer, Edward Orme - see there for his Russian connections.

The monument's form, a double classical column, suggests a 19th century date. The bird is surely an eagle. So, it could be an Imperial Eagle, but which one: Roman, Eastern, Russian, Holy Roman, French, Nazi? Or the American eagle? Or is it just a bird at the top of a pole?

Taking the date and the location into account two of these suggestions deserve serious consideration: First: the Russian Imperial Eagle. Orme’s reported connections with the Russian Tzar supports this suggestion but the Russian Eagle pretty consistently has two heads, while the Orme eagle has the more usual one. The double pillar doesn't make up for a missing head.

Second: the French Imperial Eagle. With Napoleon finally defeated in 1815, and two of his armies’ eagles captured and brought to London, Orme could have erected this eagle to commemorate that great victory. The French Imperial Eagle has only one head and stands on a plinth. So far so good. But one claw should be resting on Jupiter’s spindle (indicating fate). The Orme eagle has forgotten his spindle.

There is a story about the Tzar and gravel (see Orme's page) which gives strong support to the Russian eagle explanation.

We've left the memorial in puzzle corner because we would still like a date and a sculptor.

London has, at least, two more eagles on columns: the RAF monument and at Eagle Squadrons.

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:
Orme Square eagle

Subjects commemorated i

Battle of Waterloo

Just like a Hollywood movie that doesn't know when to end, Napoleon escaped f...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Orme Square eagle

Created by i

Edward Orme

Engraver, painter and publisher of illustrated books, and property developer ...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Lincoln's Inn war memorial

Lincoln's Inn war memorial

WC2, New Square

We have never seen so many Cecils, Cyrils and Cuthberts on a war memorial, let alone Jocelyns, Joyces and Evelyns - and we don't think th...

War dead | WW1, WW2
139 subjects commemorated
Korean War memorial

Korean War memorial

SW1, Victoria Embankment, Victoria Embankment Gardens - Whitehall section

The phrase "distant obligation..." references a cabinet meeting on 25 June 1950 at which, in the context of British involvement, Korea wa...

3 subjects commemorated, 13 creators
Waterloo WW1 war memorial

Waterloo WW1 war memorial

SE1, Waterloo Station

Our photo shows just one of the four panels.  See Stockwell War Memorial for more information about some of the names on this, Waterloo, ...

War dead | WW1
586 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
WW2 Arctic Convoys memorial

WW2 Arctic Convoys memorial

EN1, Silver Street

Our image shows a close-up of the logo on the memorial. We think that the bird (a swallow?) used to be flying in front of an enamelled bl...

5 subjects commemorated, 6 creators
St Bartholomew's Hospital - Sir William Wallace

St Bartholomew's Hospital - Sir William Wallace

EC1, West Smithfield, St Bartholomew's Hospital

2019: Scott Kelly informed us of the work he and his colleagues do, looking after this monument. It's a splendid memorial and we thank th...

1 subject commemorated