Sir William Walworth by Henry Bursill (fl. 1855-1870). 1869. Holborn Viaduct, London EC1. The gold letters on a dark stone plaque beneath the statue reads in full: “Sir William Walworth, [Lord Mayor] 1370[?] or 1374 to 1375 and 1380 to 1381.” Walworth, who appears on the reconstructed step-building, is best known for having dispatched Wat Tyler at the time of the Peasants' Revolt in 1381, and so perhaps his statue is a warning to the unrulier element in Victorian society. According to Ward-Jackson, this sculpture may not follow the original design very accurately (211). [Click on images for larger pictures.]
Photographs and caption by Robert Freidus. Formatting and perspective correction by George P. Landow. You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.]
Bibliography
Ward-Jackson, Philip. Public Sculpture of the City of London. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2003.
Last modified 27 July 2011