Andrew Ducrow Sphinxes - Kensal Green Cemetery, London, UK
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Master Mariner
N 51° 31.705 W 000° 13.386
30U E 692615 N 5712245
This pair of shinx (sphinxes or sphinges) adorn the tomb of Andrew Ducrow in Kensal Green Cemetery. The tomb, for Ducrow's wife, was erected in 1837 to a design by George Danson. It was later embellished for Danson's own interment.
Waymark Code: WMWA6J
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 08/01/2017
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member lumbricus
Views: 3

The tomb is Grade II* listed with the entry at the Historic England website telling us:

Mausoleum of Andrew Ducrow, (died 1842): erected 1837 to Ducrow's wife and much embellished later for his own interment. Designed by George Danson and built by John Cusworth, mason.

Rendered brick with Carrara marble and artificial stone enrichments within cast iron railings. Single cell with Egyptian reeded columns with lotus capitals at angles, supporting a cavetto cornice; doorcase (blocked) on north-east face surmounted by winged orb and eared pediment, and flanked by angle-set plinths supporting sphinxes.

Battered sides sport reliefs of angels holding wreaths over marble inscription panels (broken on north-west face). Upper section consists of an urn decorated with horses' heads and garlands on a tapering pedestal, standing on a lower stage with reliefs of Pegasus; marble relief set into pediment on north-east end of a mourning woman with comic and tragic masks and inverted torch with Pegasus amid clouds; pediments along sides contain bee-hives. Free-standing broken column with wide-brimmed hat and gauntlets to north-west; garland-hung broken column to south-east. Cast-iron railings with motifs of wreaths, swags and inverted torches.

History: Ducrow was an equestrian, a circus performer and proprietor of Astley's Ampitheatre. The mausoleum was erected for his wife at a cost of £3,000 and embellished subsequently for his own interment. The inscription describes it as "ERECTED BY GENIUS FOR THE RECEPTION OF ITS OWN REMAINS".

Among the outstanding funerary monuments of Victorian England.

Statue Name: Tomb of Andrew Ducrow

Style: Egyptian

Medium: Stone

Head Type: Man

Website: [Web Link]

Street Address:
Kensal Green Cemetery
Harrow Road
London, United Kingdom


Specify Other Head: Not listed

Head Namesake: Not listed

Visit Instructions:

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