Statue of John Howard

The Statue of John Howard was erected in 1894 and designed by Sir Alfred Gilbert. It is made of bronze and stands on a plinth of limestone and sandstone, with bronze detailing.

The plinth is square in shape and sits on octagonal steps. The statue is a larger-than-life representation of John Howard, dressed in 18th-century travelling attire, and stands thoughtfully on a tall baroque pedestal that is supported by four octagonal steps. The pedestal has a base made of red sandstone and a limestone plinth that features decorative baroque bronze work, including cherubs holding grotesque masks at its corners. Above the plinth is a stylised stone urn with a plain capital, which has draped bronze brackets at its corners. An inscription on the east side of the urn reads: ‘JOHN HOWARD / 1726-1790 / 1890’. The foundry mark ‘BROAD & SON / FOUNDERS LONDON’ is cast into the south side of the statue base.