Bust

Temple Bar memorial - Truscott

Erection date: 1881

The east face is framed with pilasters each side, decorated with emblems of "war" to the left and "peace" to the right. Carved in the stone between the pilasters is a medallion portrait of a heavily bearded Truscott.

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.

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This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Temple Bar memorial - Truscott

Subjects commemorated i

Sir Francis Wyatt Truscott

Lord Mayor of London from 1879 to 1880.  Alderman on the Bridge House Estates...

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

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...

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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...

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Temple Bar memorial - Homer

Temple Bar memorial - Homer

Homer {in ancient Greek lettering}

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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 "...

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Nearby Memorials

Morley mosaics - KEW - Jude Kelly

Morley mosaics - KEW - Jude Kelly

SE1, King Edward Walk, Morley College

These 10 portrait mosaics are the result of a project by Morley College to celebrate the achievements of significant women who have lived...

2 subjects commemorated, 3 creators
Edward VI at the Bull & Mouth

Edward VI at the Bull & Mouth

EC1, London Wall, Rotunda garden at Museum of London

This bust is at the top of the memorial along with the arms of Christ's Hospital, which Edward founded. The land belonged to Christ's Hos...

2 subjects commemorated
Lord Wolfson bust

Lord Wolfson bust

WC1, Queen Square, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery

The Leonard Wolfson Experimental Neurology Centre is located in the hospital behind the bust. Opened 15 November 2013 this was funded by ...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
John Hunter, Leicester Square

John Hunter, Leicester Square

WC2, Leicester Square

All four of the Leicester Square busts were removed in the 2010-12 redesign, and we don't know where they went.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Sir Robert Cotton

Sir Robert Cotton

NW1, Euston Road, The British Library

This bust is a 20th-century replica after Louis-François Roubiliac, 1757.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator