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All the United Kingdom England London Ancient Melancholy Man
AO Edited

Ancient Melancholy Man

This statue in Holland Park might be one of London’s oldest outdoor statues, but its exact origins are unknown.

London, England

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Dark Nebula Deluxe
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A close-up view of the Ancient Melancholy Man.   Dark Nebula Deluxe / Atlas Obscura User
A close-up view of the Ancient Melancholy Man.   Dark Nebula Deluxe / Atlas Obscura User
The Ancient Melancholy Man in 2024.   Dark Nebula Deluxe / Atlas Obscura User
The Ancient Melancholy Man in 2012.   Garry Knight
The Ancient Melancholy Man in 2010.   brian gillman
If you spot this statue, you are very close.   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Ruins of Hollland house   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Holland Park Map - the Formal garden is known as the Dutch Garden on here   nedavis166 / Atlas Obscura User
Statue on the right of the picture   nedavis166 / Atlas Obscura User
  Steve 55 / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Among London’s oldest statues, the origins of some are very well known, such as the statue of Queen Elizabeth I outside St. Duncan-in-the-West on Fleet Street, while the origins of others are unclear, such as the lower half of the statue of Alfred the Great in Southwark.

The statue called the Ancient Melancholy Man in Holland Park falls within the category of statues with unknown origins. The approximately 180-centimeter-tall limestone statue depicts an indistinct bearded man with a cloak and hat and a notably dour expression on his face. The man appears to be carrying some sort of pot or bag.

People generally agree that the statue was probably created in the 16th century, making the Ancient Melancholy Man contemporaneous with the Queen Elizabeth I statue on Fleet Street and therefore one of the oldest complete outdoor statues in London. However, no information is available on which year the statue was created, who created it, or who the statue is supposed to depict. What is known is that the statue was installed in a corner of the Formal Gardens in Holland Park when the gardens were created in 1812 by Serafino Bonaiuti.

Over time, plants have slowly covered up the statue only to be cut back so that the Ancient Melancholy Man can gaze upon the visitors to Holland Park once again. His identity and origins may never be uncovered, but the Ancient Melancholy Man is now recognized as one of the quirkier aspects of Holland Park.

Related Tags

Art Outside Mystery History & Culture Statues

Know Before You Go

The Ancient Melancholy Man is located in the Formal Gardens near the center of Holland Park. The statue stands in a corner of the brick wall on the north side of the Formal Gardens near the east end, and it may be most easily spotted by walking from east to west along the paved path on the north side of the Formal Gardens and searching the brick wall carefully while doing this, especially if the statue becomes overgrown.

Holland Park itself, which is free to enter, is open from 7:30 a.m. to 30 minutes before dusk every day. The paths through the park are generally paved and flat, making the park accessible to people with limited mobility.

The park is located in Kensington between Holland Park Avenue and Kensington High Street. Parking is available within the park, but visitors may want to rely on public transportation instead of driving. Multiple Underground lines and bus routes pass through the area, making Holland Park easily accessible from elsewhere in London.

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Dark Nebula Deluxe

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SEANETTA, Steve 55, nedavis166, ivanlietaert

  • SEANETTA
  • Steve 55
  • nedavis166
  • ivanlietaert

Published

October 28, 2024

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Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Guru,_No_Method,_No_Teacher
  • https://www.thefriendsofhollandpark.org/historical-2008.htm
  • https://artuk.org/discover/curations/lists-of-london-oldest-public-sculptures
  • https://londonist.com/london/great-outdoors/london-saddest-statue
Ancient Melancholy Man
Holland Park
London, England, W8 6LU
United Kingdom
51.502433, -0.203348
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