Public art & sculpture · London
Memorial to Walter Besant
In or near Covent Garden.
Memorial to Walter Besant in England London, United Kingdom.
Andrew Abbott — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1 h–2 h
- Nearest railway station
- Temple · 0.3 km
- Free entry
- Dog-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
The Memorial to Walter Besant is located in Westminster, London, with the nearest railway station being Temple, just 0.3 km away. Entry is free, but wheelchair accessibility is limited. The postcode for sat-nav is WC2R 0ET.
About
Memorial to Walter Besant is a public sculpture in England London, United Kingdom, dating from 1902. Britain's public art ranges from Henry Moore reclining figures and Anthony Gormley installations to the Angel of the North and the surviving statues of empire.
Photo gallery
See it from the streetimagery from 2026
Imagery © Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0
From the Wikipedia article
The Memorial to Walter Besant is a bronze bas-relief on the Victoria Embankment in London. It is considered peculiar for the presence of eye-glasses on the sculpture, considered the earliest example of it in London. The memorial is dedicated to Walter Besant, a novelist and historian of London. A campaigner for authors' rights, he is among the founders of the Society of Authors, who placed the memorial on the Embankment in 1904. Besant also played a role in the creation of the People's Palace in Mile End. The memorial is the work of George Frampton.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
- Coordinates
- 51.5096, -0.1185
- District
- Westminster
- Parish
- Westminster, unparished area
- Postcode
- WC2R 0ET
- Parliamentary constituency
- Cities of London and Westminster
- Established
- 1902
- Nearest railway station
- Temple — 0.3 km
Sources
- wikidata: Q27096149 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Walter Besant Memorial (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Michael Faraday
Public art & sculpture · 0.0 km
Arthur Sullivan
Memorials & monuments · 0.1 km
Civil Service Rifles War Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 0.1 km
Savoy Hotel
Historic houses · 0.1 km
Robert Raikes
Memorials & monuments · 0.1 km
Savoy Chapel
Historic churches · 0.1 km
Henry Fawcett Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 0.1 km
Hermitage Rooms
Galleries · 0.2 km
Savoy Palace
Palaces · 0.2 km
Waterloo Bridge
Historic bridges · 0.2 km
Sphynx
Public art & sculpture · 0.2 km
Sewer ventilation lamp
Natural landmarks · 0.2 km
Nearby
📷 5Public art & sculpture · London
Michael Faraday
Michael Faraday — a public art in england-london, United Kingdom.
📷 5📷 5Memorials & monuments · London
Civil Service Rifles War Memorial
Civil Service Rifles War Memorial — a memorial in england-london, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic houses · London
Savoy Hotel
Savoy Hotel — a Grade II*-listed historic house in england-london, United Kingdom.
📷 5📷 5Historic churches · London
Savoy Chapel
Savoy Chapel — chapel off the Strand, London.
Where to eat & stay near Memorial to Walter Besant
Places to stay
📷 5Hotels · London
Strand Palace Hotel
Strand Palace Hotel — a hotel in england london.
📷 5
📷 7
📷 5
📷 5📷 5Places to eat & drink
📷 7Historic pubs · London
The Coal Hole
The Coal Hole in England London, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · London
Nell Gwynne Tavern
Nell Gwynne Tavern in England London, United Kingdom.
📷 5
📷 5Restaurants · London
Delamina Townhouse
Delamina Townhouse — a restaurant in england london.
📷 7Restaurants · London
Balthazar London
Balthazar London — a restaurant in england london.
📷 5More places in this region
📷 5Public art & sculpture · London
33
33 — Public artwork (architecture) by Studio Weave.
📷 5Public art & sculpture · London
A Conversation with Oscar Wilde
A Conversation with Oscar Wilde — Public artwork (sculpture).
📷 5Public art & sculpture · London
A Sculpture for Mary Wollstonecraft
A Sculpture for Mary Wollstonecraft — Public artwork (sculpture) by Maggi Hambling.
📷 5Public art & sculpture · London
A Slice of Reality
A Slice of Reality — Public artwork (installation) by Richard Wilson.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Memorial to Walter Besant?
- Memorial to Walter Besant is in London, United Kingdom (postcode WC2R 0ET), in the parish of Westminster, unparished area.
- What is Memorial to Walter Besant?
- Memorial to Walter Besant in England London, United Kingdom.
- How do I get to Memorial to Walter Besant?
- The nearest railway station is Temple, about 0.3 km away. Drivers can use postcode WC2R 0ET.
- When was Memorial to Walter Besant built?
- Built or established in 1902.
- Is Memorial to Walter Besant free to visit?
- Yes, Memorial to Walter Besant is free to enter.
- How do I get to Memorial to Walter Besant?
- The nearest railway station is Temple, about 0.3 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode WC2R 0ET.