Ancient Melancholy Man

A close-up view of the Ancient Melancholy Man. Dark Nebula Deluxe (Atlas Obscura User)

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.

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.