Statue of King Alfred, Trinity Church Square

Coade stone statue of King Alfred by James George Bubb, completed by June 1824 and incorporating a fragment of an oolitic limestone Romano-British sculpture, believed to be of the goddess Minerva dating to the early to mid-C2.

MATERIALS: Coade stone and South Cotswold limestone of shelly oolitic character.

DESCRIPTION: a statue of a king in C14 style, identified as King Alfred in documentary evidence, approximately 2.6m tall standing on a moulded plinth. The statue has a plain back due to its planned location within a niche.

The pose of King Alfred, the drapery of the gown and cloak is based upon the Minerva fragment. The extent of the Minerva fragment can be seen in the recently conserved statue. A line below Alfred’s moulded belt shows the upper limit of the statue, the gathered cloth between the two legs, and the right leg are the most visible parts of the Romano-British fragment. As the Minerva sculpture places weight over the left leg the right leg projects forwards. The extent of the limestone is visible to below the right knee where the gown has been extended downwards in smoother Coade stone. The seam at the base of the limestone fragment rises before the left leg to end at mid-thigh, and elements of the limestone fragment show the edge of drapery that would have been supported over the left arm of Minerva, now continued in Coade in the Alfred statue.

The larger scale of the Minerva statue from which the fragment originated, probably being around twice life-size or 3m in height, gives the Alfred statue its odd proportions. The belt line of Alfred would have likely been placed at the waist of the Minerva sculpture; this is level with Alfred’s elbows. This means the lower part of the statue, feet to belt line, and top of legs makes up approximately two-thirds of the height of the statue, with approximately one-third from belt line to top of crown.

The detail of the Coade statue demonstrates considerable skill, the cloak is edged with an imitation embroidered margin which continues to the belt. The drapery of the cloak, and gown are designed to fit into, and continue the folds and elaboration of the Romano-British fragment. The cloak is tied below the full beard with a disk broach, Alfred wears an open crown.