There has been a christian community on this site for over 1300 years. It has had a turbulent history over that period but the structure of the Minster as we see it today was completed around 1420, although there have been many other changes inside since then.
In the nineteenth century during the time that Canon Nolloth was vicar many improvements were made to the Minster including Sixty nine of the statues were carved life size in stone by ‘Mr Smith’ and John and Bryant Baker. They were placed in niches on the outside of the minster that were at that time vacant.
The statue of King Edward VII
The statue was carved around the end of the 19th century and depicts Edward wearing regal robes with a chain round his neck. His robe is slightly gaping and shows his left leg which is bare with a garter below his knee. This garter indicates he was a Knight of the Garter, an honour bestowed upon him on 9 November 1858 before he became King and was the Prince of Wales.
"The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. It is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the George Cross. The Order of the Garter is dedicated to the image and arms of Saint George, England's patron saint.
Appointments are at the sovereign's sole discretion and are usually in recognition of a national contribution, for public service, or for personal service to the sovereign. Membership of the order is limited to the sovereign, the Prince of Wales, and no more than 24 living members, or Companions. The order also includes supernumerary knights and ladies (e.g. members of the British royal family and foreign monarchs).
The order's emblem is a garter with the motto Honi soit qui mal y pense (Middle French for 'Shame on him who thinks evil of it') in gold lettering. Members of the order wear it on ceremonial occasions."
Wikipedia
The statue is in a niche on the right of the north tower buttress. On the left hand side of the tower at the same level is a statue of his mother Queen Victoria.
King Edward VII
"Edward was king of Great Britain from 1901 to 1910, having been heir to Victoria for nearly 60 years.
Edward was born on 9 November 1841 in London, the eldest son of Victoria and her prince consort, Albert. He was subjected to a strict regime from an early age, as his parents were keen to ensure he was prepared to rule. He attended both Oxford and Cambridge and briefly joined the army. A liaison with an actress caused considerable scandal and Prince Albert visited his son to reprimand him. Albert died two weeks later and Victoria held her son partly responsible for the death of his father.
Victoria withdrew almost completely from public life, and Edward was allowed to represent her at state occasions, but given almost no chance to participate in affairs of state. He became a leader of London society, spending his time eating, drinking, gambling, shooting, watching racing and sailing. In 1863, he married Princess Alexandra of Denmark and they had six children, five of whom survived to adulthood. Edward also had a series of long-term mistresses, including the actress Lily Langtry.
In January 1901, Victoria died and Edward succeeded to the throne as Edward VII. He was crowned in August 1902. He threw himself into his new role with energy and his reign restored sparkle to a monarchy that been rather gloomy since his father's death 40 years earlier. Related to most European royalty (he was known as the 'Uncle of Europe'), he was able to assist in foreign policy negotiations and his well-received addresses during a state visit to Paris helped pave the way for the Anglo-French Entente Cordiale of 1904. Edward was also the first British monarch to visit Russia. In 1902, he founded the Order of Merit to reward those who distinguished themselves in science, art or literature.
In the last year of his life, Edward was involved in a constitutional crisis brought about by the refusal of the Conservative majority in the Lords to pass the Liberal budget of 1909. He died on 6 May 1910, before the situation could be resolved, and was succeeded by his son who became George V."
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