10734.THE BANK OF ENGLAND : A MASSIVE CARVED PORTLAND STONE TABLEAU DEPICTING WILLIAM & MARY (1689-1702) - THE GRANTING OF THE BANK OF ENGLAND'S CHARTER Sculptor Esmond Burton.............. Circa 1958-59.
William of Orange from The United Dutch Republic, with his wife Queen Mary Stuart , comely daughter of James II of Scotland & England...were " called to the throne " to become joint rulers of England , Wales Ireland and Scotland aka Great Britain...later United Kingdon....importantly , by Parliament...subsequent to the "Glorious Revolution..." he was a Protestant leader who although unpopular was able..she was the next in line to replace her father the Catholic leaning James II ..ushering in a very progressive consolidating period for the nation , its institutions , economics ...and its Democracy.This portrayal reminiscent of playing card monarchs.
Part of a collection of approx 45 statues, this group above the Cheapside entry to the courtyard of the One New Change building in the City of London, symbolising the Granting of The Bank of England's Charter.
The Group included statues of Sir John Houblon the 1st Governor of the Bank(10747), Michael Godfrey the 1st Deputy Governor (10748), two City Gryphons (10746 & 10749) & two monogrammed keystones WMR 1694 & EIIR 1958.
The building erected in the 1950's to accommodate the Bank of England's Accounts Department & demolished in 2007, occupied the whole site bounded by Cheapside to the north, Watling Street to the south, Bread Street to the east, Newgate to the north west and New Change to the west and filled a sensitive site in that it presented a backdrop to Christopher Wrens majestic Roman Baroque St Paul’s Cathedral.
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Antique sculptures, carvings, plaques, tablets, coats of arms and panels