| Statue of Lord Byron | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Artist | Richard Claude Belt |
| Completion date | 1880 |
| Subject | Lord Byron |
| Location | London |
| Coordinates | 51°30′15″N0°09′06″W / 51.5043°N 0.1518°W /51.5043; -0.1518 |
Listed Building – Grade II | |
| Official name | Statue of Lord Byron |
| Designated | 14 January 1970 |
| Reference no. | 1277504 |
Astatue of Lord Byron is situated atHyde Park Corner inLondon. It was made of bronze to the design of Richard Claude Belt and sits upon a marble plinth. The marble used to make the plinth was given as a gift by the people of Greece for Byron's participation in theGreek War of Independence.[1]
The monument isGrade II listed,[2] and commemorates the romantic poet and writerLord Byron. He sits in a meditative pose alongside hisLandseer dog Boatswain. The statue is said to poorly resemble Byron and is sometimes regarded as the "worst statue in London".[3]
Commemoration of Byron after his death was occasionally controversial, with a burial atWestminster Abbey being refused byDean Ireland. It was not until 1875, more than five decades after the poet's death, thatBenjamin Disraeli asPrime Minister called for the creation of a memorial.[4]
There was also controversy surrounding the extent of Belt's involvement in the creation of the statue, with a junior sculptor of Belt's studio claiming to have done significant uncredited work on its sculpting. A publication to such an effect byCharles Lawes inVanity Fair would see Belt succeeding in suing him for libel.
In 2024, the Byron Society aimed to move the statue intoHyde Park from its island in the centre ofPark Lane. Before the widening of the latter it was not separated from the main area of the park.[5]
Media related toStatue of Lord Byron, Hyde Park Corner at Wikimedia Commons