King George Obelisk - St George's Circus, London, UK
N 51° 29.922 W 000° 06.286
30U E 700952 N 5709259
The obelisk, dedicated to King George III, stands in the middle of St George's Circus, a junction where five roads meet. It started its life here in 1771 and was then moved away and returned in 1998.
Waymark Code: WMDT3P
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 02/21/2012
Views: 4
The obelisk, made of white stone, was erected at this
location in 1771. The inscription on the base reads:
"Erected in / XI year / of the reign / of King George / the Third / MCCCLXXI".
The other three sides of the base have distances to three London locations.
The obelisk, Grade II* listed, has not always stood on this spot. In 1897 it was
moved to Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park at the Imperial War Museum to make way
for a Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee clock tower. In 1998 the obelisk was
brought back to its original location.
The entry, for the obelisk at English Heritage, reads:
"Obelisk. 1771. Robert Mylne. Stone. Removed from St George's Circus in
1905.Inscribed as follows: north face: ERECTED IN XI YEAR OF THE REIGN OF KING
GEORGE THE THIRD. MDCCLXXI. THE RIGHT HONOURABLE BRASS CROSBY ESQUIRE, LORD
MAYOR. South face: ONE MILE, CCCL FEET FROM FLEET STREET. Arms of the City of
London below. East face: ONE MILE FROM PALACE YARD, WESTMINSTER HALL. West face:
ONE MILE, XXXX FEET FROM LONDON BRIDGE. HISTORY. this obelisk was erected in
1771 in the centre of St George's Circus as part of the grand planning scheme
designed by Mylne for Blackfriars Bridge Road. It provided the focal point (and
signpost) for the radiating roads leading to various parts of the city from the
entrance from the south. In c1897 it was removed to make way for a Victoria
Diamond Jubilee clock-tower and was re-erected in the Geraldine Mary Harmsworth
Park on Lambeth Road where it was included in the List in 1950. In 1998 it was
re-erected in its original position. The obelisk forms a significant group with
the Duke of Clarence Public House no 32 London Road (qv), Nos 123-131 London
Road (qv, Nos 113-119 Borough Road (qv and the former Presbyterian Chapel (qv)
and St George the Martyr Library (qv), also Borough Road."
Source
English Heritage.
The obelisk was moved approximately 270 metres to the
south west before being returned to this spot. One of the give away signs is the
cut bench mark and bolt, on the obelisk, that was cut during Ordnance Survey
work in 1971 when the obelisk was at its "other" location. The position of its
"other" home is 51° 29.832'N; 000° 06.465'W.