Samuel Johnson Statue
England’s most famous writer of the 18th century - and creator of the first English dictionary - looks very cuddly and amusing company in this statue, hidden behind St Clement Dane's church, where Johnson attended.
Reverend Pennington, the rector at St Clements, was the donor of the statue. He died just as the statue was ready so it was thought appropriate to unveil the work as the body was conveyed into the church for the lying in state. Fitzgerald, the sculptor, modelled the face on the portrait by Reynolds and Nolleken's bust. Fitzgerald also unveiled the statue when the death of Edward VII caused the planned royal unveiling by his daughter, Princess Louise, to be cancelled.
