London's Statues and Monuments

The streets and public spaces of London are rich with statues and monuments commemorating the great people of history. From the monumental Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square and Sir Christopher Wren's Great Fire Monument to the charming Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens, and the bronze of Paddington Bear on the lawn of the railway station that gave him his name, the range of London's statues and monuments is huge. Some commemorate events, while others celebrate people, real and fictional. Some take the form of small reliefs, while others are huge pedimented bronzes, larger than life size. Executed in stone, bronze and a range of other materials, London's statues and monuments include work by some of the greatest sculptors.

Shire first published a book on this subject in 1968, and for forty years it was a stalwart of the list, opening the eyes of countless Londoners and visitors to the capital to the sculptural splendour of the city. Peter Matthews has now produced an entirely new book on the subject, reorganised, rewritten, and reillustrated with a completely new set of specially taken photographs. Over 500 statues and monuments feature in this indispensible guide, and fascinating information about the sculptors and the stories behind the monuments make this book a uniquely useful resource for anyone wanting to gain a deeper insight into these wonderful adornments to the streets of the capital.