Musgrave Watson frieze in Battishill Gardens

Image: © Stephen McKay Taken: 19 Jun 2009

One of the pleasures of wandering around almost any part of London is coming across extraordinary things tucked away in unlikely spots. This frieze, by Musgrave Watson a Cumbrian artist who also worked on Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square, is hidden in one corner of Battishill Gardens, a small open space hardly on the beaten track. The frieze was carved in 1842 and originally adorned a hall of commerce in Threadneedle Street. When that was demolished in 1922, the frieze was acquired by London University who kept it in store until 1974 when it was donated to the Borough of Islington who decided to erect it here. It was opened in June 1975 by Sir John Betjeman. The sculpture is on the theme of commerce welcoming all nations and a small plaque explains what each panel represents - only a small part of the total work is depicted here.

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