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KINGS STATUE

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DESCRIPTION

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A freestanding monument to George III for his Golden Jubilee erected 1809/10 to the designs of James Hamilton. The figures and detail in Coade stone are said to be the work of Mr Sealy, of the firm Coade and Sealy, on a massive Portland stone pedestal. The King, in Garter robes, holds the sceptre in his right hand, and is backed by various insignia, including, to his right, the crown on a cushion, Royal Standard and Union Flag. To his left are a pile of books and a large oval shield of arms. These items stand on a cavetto base, on a lofty rectangular pedestal with moulded capping and base, on a plinth of two high steps. To each side is a further low pedestal, not coursed or bonded to the main stonework, carrying fine gilded figures; to the King's right a lion, and to his left a unicorn. This splendid memorial has a commanding location, but now serves as part of a traffic island. Scheduled and listed.

PICTURES

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DETAIL

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MORE INFORMATION & SOURCES

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(SY 67987922) King's Statue (George III) (NAT). (1)

The King's Statue, monument to George III, standing at the N.
end of St Thomas Street amd St Mary Street, was set up in 1809.
It was designed by James Hamilton, architect. The architectural
features are of Portland stone; the sculptures are of Coade's
artificial stone. The latter were painted in naturalistic
colours in 1949.
The monument has a large, tall podium with moulded plinth and
cornice, the die being inscribed on the N. face 'The grateful
inhabitants/To GEORGE THE THIRD/On His entering the 50th Year/
Of His REIGN' and signed 'J HAMILTON/ARCHT': on the S face is a
long record of the celebrations on the occasion of the
anniversary (Golden Jubilee), the distribution of moneys collected and the
inception of the scheme for providing the monument together
with names of donors and of persons concerned with its
erection. Standing on the podium is a full length statue of the
King, facing N., in Garter robes, carrying a sceptre; behind
him is a table supporting the royal crown and books and flanked
by the flag of the Union and the royal arms (1801-16). On low
bases adjoining the podium to E and W are a lion and a unicorn
couchant.
Listed as 'most worthy of preservation'. (2) (3)

1.
1808 ESPLANADE King's Statue
SY 6779 SE 14/106 12.12.53.
I GV
2.
Monument to King George III erected 1809-10 to the designs of
James Hamilton, architect. Massive Portland stone pedestal with
inscriptions front and back commemorating the erection of the
monument by the inhabitants of Weymouth, and the 50th
anniversary of George III reign. The pedestal bears the
standing figure of the King in Garter Robes carring a sceptre
and backed by elaborate insignia and low bases flank the
pedestal carrying recumbent lion and unicorn. The figures are
of Coade's artificial stone, repainted in bright naturalistic
colours, and are said to the the work of Mr Sealy of the firm
of Coade and Sealy. AM. (4)

(SY 681795) The King's Statue. Scheduled. (5).

Additional Bibliography (6).

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 1:2500 1958

( 2) Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England) 1970 An inventory of historical monuments in the County of Dorset. Volume two : south-east [in three parts]

Part 1 Page(s)XXXI

( 3) Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England) 1970 An inventory of historical monuments in the County of Dorset. Volume two : south-east [in three parts]

Part 2 Page(s)338

( 4) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

Weymouth and Portland 14/06/1974 Page(s)70

( 5) by Department of the Environment, Ancient Monuments and Historic Buildings London 1978 List of ancient monuments in England: Volume 1, Northern England; Volume 2, Southern England; Volume 3, East Anglia and the Midlands

2 Page(s)84

( 6) by John Newman and Nikolaus Pevsner 1972 Dorset

The Buildings of England Page(s)453

(7) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

Weymouth and Portland 22/12/1997

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