Public art & sculpture · West Midlands
The Sleeping Children
In or near Lichfield.
The Sleeping Children in England West Midlands, United Kingdom.
Mat Fascione — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1 h–2 h
- Nearest railway station
- Lichfield City · 0.7 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Dog-friendly
- Wheelchair accessible
Getting there & planning your visit
The Sleeping Children is located in Lichfield, Staffordshire, with the postcode WS13 6AE. The nearest railway station is Lichfield City, which is 0.7 km away. Entry is free, and the site is wheelchair accessible.
About
The Sleeping Children is a public sculpture in England West Midlands, United Kingdom, dating from 1817. 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
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Stowe Pool and Walk Mill Clay Pit SSSI
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
The Sleeping Children is a marble sculpture by Francis Chantrey. The statue depicts Ellen-Jane and Marianne Robinson asleep in each other's arms on a bed. The statue was commissioned by the mother of the two children, also named Ellen-Jane Robinson, whose daughters had died in 1813 and 1814. The statue was placed in the south east corner of Lichfield Cathedral in 1817 where it remains. The work is considered to be one of Chantrey's finest works and one of the greatest works of English sculpture during the period.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
Architecture
The statue was carved from white marble. The carving was entrusted to Chantrey's assistant, F. A. Lege, and it was his suggestion that the younger sister hold a bunch of snowdrops. The work was completed in time for the Royal Academy Art Exhibition of 1816, where it was a sensation. The statue was moved to the south east corner of Lichfield Cathedral in 1817 and remains there to this day. Above the statue is a black marble plaque dedicated to William Robinson (the father of the two children).
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 52.6857, -1.8298
- County
- Staffordshire
- District
- Lichfield
- Parish
- Lichfield
- Postcode
- WS13 6AE
- Parliamentary constituency
- Lichfield
- Established
- 1817
- Nearest railway station
- Lichfield City — 0.7 km
- Official site
- www.speakerscornertrust.org
Sources
- wikidata: Q7764789 (CC0)
- wikipedia: The Sleeping Children (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Chapter House Library
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Lichfield Cathedral
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Minster Pool
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Lichfield Cathedral School
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is The Sleeping Children?
- The Sleeping Children is in Staffordshire, the West Midlands, United Kingdom (postcode WS13 6AE), in the parish of Lichfield.
- What is The Sleeping Children?
- The Sleeping Children in England West Midlands, United Kingdom.
- How do I get to The Sleeping Children?
- The nearest railway station is Lichfield City, about 0.7 km away. Drivers can use postcode WS13 6AE.
- When was The Sleeping Children built?
- Built or established in 1817.
- Who owns The Sleeping Children?
- The Sleeping Children is owned by The Dean and Chapter.
- Is The Sleeping Children a protected site?
- Yes — The Sleeping Children is part of the Stowe Pool and Walk Mill Clay Pit SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest.
- Is The Sleeping Children free to visit?
- Yes, The Sleeping Children is free to enter.
- How do I get to The Sleeping Children?
- The nearest railway station is Lichfield City, about 0.7 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode WS13 6AE.