S t o w e  G a r d e n s

 T e m p l e  o f  B r i t i s h  W o r t h i e s

The Temple of British Worthies was also designed by William Kent, and was built at the southern end of the Elysian Fields around 1734. It is a curved screen, with 16 niches below a pediment, each containing a bust by Rysbrack and Scheemakers. Together, they form a Pantheon of British heroes, 8 men of action and 8 men of thought. They include Explorers, Monarchs, Philosophers, Scientists and Writers, including Shakespeare and Pope. A central niche within a pyramid once contained another bust, of the head of Mercury, the God who in mythology, is believed to carry the souls across the River Styx, to the Elysian Fields and eternal paradise.

The busts below appear as they do on the monument from left to right. You may click on a bust to be re-directed to Wikipedia's page on the history and life of the person.

MP Sir John Barnard, 1685-1764, and made Lord Mayor of London in 1737, is included in the worthies because he greatly supported Lord Cobham in the vote against Prime Minister Walpole's excise bill. Lord Cobham had fallen out of favour with the Prime Minister.

Alexander Pope	Thomas Gresham	Inigo Jones	John Milton
William Shakespeare	John Locke	Isaac Newton	Francis Bacon
King Alfred	Prince Edward of Wales	Queen Elizabeth I	King William III
Sir Walter Raleigh	Sir Francis Drake	John Hampden	John Barnard

Below: The view across the River Styx to the Western bank and the Temple of Ancient Virtue.

Below: Looking back towards the Shell Bridge from the Temple of British Worthies.

Heading on down the path and looking west, the visitor's eyes are caught by the distant Doric Arch.

Reaching the most Southern end of the Elysian Fields, one turns left into Hawkwell Field, and the sinister Gothic Temple comes into view..

 

 

 

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