Statue of Edward VI (Cartwright) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Statue of Edward VI (Cartwright) |
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| Artist | Thomas Cartwright |
| Completion date | 1682 |
| Type | Sculpture |
| Medium | Purbeck marble |
| Subject | Edward VI |
| Location | London |
| 51°29′59″N 0°07′08″W / 51.4998°N 0.1188°W | |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Official name | Stone Statue of Edward VI |
| Designated | 30 May 1979 |
| Reference no. | 1319933 |
This special statue of King Edward VI stands at St Thomas' Hospital in London. It was made by a sculptor named Thomas Cartwright. This is one of two statues of the king at the hospital. Both statues remind us that King Edward VI helped re-open the hospital in 1551.
The statue was designed by Nathaniel Hanwell and carved by Thomas Cartwright in 1682. This was during a time when the hospital was being rebuilt by Sir Robert Clayton. The statue first stood at the main entrance on Borough High Street. Later, in the 1900s, it was moved to its current spot on Lambeth Palace Road. In 1979, it was officially recognized as an important historical structure.
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Who Was King Edward VI?
Edward VI was the son of King Henry VIII and his third wife, Jane Seymour. He was born on October 12, 1537. Edward became king when he was only nine years old, in 1547. Sadly, he died at the young age of 15 in 1553.
During a big change in England called the Protestant Reformation, St Thomas' Hospital had to close. This was because it was linked to a religious group and lost its money. But in 1551, King Edward VI gave permission for the hospital to open again. This was a very important act for the hospital.
The Story of St Thomas' Hospital
St Thomas' Hospital started a long time ago, in the 1100s. It was a place for sick people, connected to the Church of St Mary Overie in Southwark. By the late 1600s, the hospital buildings were old and falling apart.
Sir Robert Clayton, who was in charge of the hospital, hired Thomas Cartwright to rebuild it. Cartwright was an architect and also a governor of the hospital. The new buildings were made of red brick and looked like classical Roman or Greek buildings. They were finished in 1709, just after Sir Robert Clayton passed away.
Later, in 1872, the hospital was completely rebuilt again. This time, it moved to a new location further along the River Thames in Lambeth. The statue of Edward VI was moved to this new site. It has been moved around a few times since then.
What the Statue Looks Like
The statue was ordered by Robert Clayton. Nathaniel Hanwell designed it, and Thomas Cartwright carved it. It was the main part of a group of statues at the hospital's old entrance. The king was originally surrounded by statues of two pairs of people with disabilities. These other statues are now inside the North Wing of the hospital.
The statue is made from a type of stone called Purbeck limestone. The order for the statue was placed on November 11, 1681. It asked for "effigies of King Edward the Sixth and fower cripples to be carved in stone." Cartwright was paid £190 for his work.
King Edward is shown wearing clothes from the Tudor period and a crown. He holds a sceptre (a royal staff) in his right hand. In his left hand, he holds the special paper that allowed St Thomas' Hospital to reopen. The statue stands on a new base today.
Images for kids
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The statues of hospital patients which formerly accompanied that of the king, on display at the Science Museum
