The Queen's own doctor, John Arbuthnot, is attributed with the often quoted, 'Brandy-faced Nan, who was left in the lurch, with her face to the gin-shop, her back to the church'. Others complained that it was actually a poor likeness of Queen Anne, and of course, the contested location was a point of annoyance and frustration for many. Some criticised the style for being 'old fashioned', some the vestments and the 'affected' pose.
A cartouche with the Royal Arms sat upright at the front of the plinth, supported by Britannia's left hand.Īs is frequently the case with public monuments today, even as it was unveiled, the monument was not particularly well received by everyone, being variously mocked and criticised by elements of the press and other writers. Queen Anne, in a triumphal pose with crown, sceptre and orb, surmounted the central plinth with the allegorical statues of Britannia, France, America, and Ireland, arranged around the stepped base (originally the base was black marble). The figures on the monument were sculpted in Sicilian marble, and the entire monument has approximate overall dimensions of 6.5 metres high and 5 metres in diameter. Louis Auguste Malempré (c.1820–1888) and Richard Claude Belt (1851–1920), St Paul's Churchyard, City of London Queen Anne was unable to attend the unveiling however due to ill health and she died only one year after it was unveiled. This was to be an important part of the great Thanksgiving Service for the Peace of Utrecht (as part of those treaties, as well as Britain gaining other territories, Gibraltar was ceded by Spain). Plans were also put in place in 1713 to erect 50 new churches, each to feature a statue of Anne in a prominent position, although this initiative never actually came to fruition.Ĭommissioned by Sir Christopher Wren as an integral part of the design of St Paul's Cathedral, its unveiling was planned for 7th July 1713.
In fact, this statue is the only portrait of her erected with her complete support. The context of the site outside the cathedral was important, emphatically proclaiming not only Queen Anne's dominion over the Empire, but, as Head of State and of the Church of England, also over the contested location that was an important secular, commercial, and religious site.Īt that time, there were still widespread challenges to the Anglican Church and, throughout her reign, Anne was passionate about combatting the influence of dissenters. Plans for the monument were already in place as early as 1709, and it was eventually completed in 1712. Francis Bird (1667–1731) Kingston Historic Market, Kingston upon Thames