Old London Bridge, Keats and Guy's Hospital
Today during some Twitter banter, London Historians member and  John Keats expert Suzie Grogan mentioned Keats’ statue at Guy’s Hospital. Strange place for a tragic poet, thought I. As it happened, I had wanted to visit Guy’s for some time to inspect an alcove from Old London Bridge which found its way there after the bridge was demolished and replaced in 1831. I had an hour to spare this afternoon so I nipped down there. Imagine my delight to discover that the statue in question is of Keats actually sitting in the alcove itself. Wonderful. Old London Bridge was still standing during Keats’ short life, so he may have stopped off in one of these alcoves, maybe this very one.
And the Guy’s thing? Keats was a medical student there. I didn’t know that.
Update 1: For more on scattered remains of Old London Bridge, The Great Wen has a recent post here.
Update 2: The above-mentioned Suzie Grogan has written a post about Keats’ time at Guy’s here.
The combination of seated figure and alcove is really very striking. The two come together to make more than their sum. I hope I can go and see it for myself.
Absolutely agree, I was bowled over. I also like how the alcove echoes the hospital building windows behind, the whole thing just works.
Glad our twitter chat enabled the link to the alcove to be made! The more distant shot is the first time I have seen the statue relative to its surroundings. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing this – I had no idea this statue existed and actually found it very moving.
Cant not add to the all said, but thank you.
My late father was a medic rather than a poet – and not particularly a fan of poetry either – but his surgery, now long gone, was named Keats House.
Excellent. BTW, there were loads of ciggie butts in there which I Photoshopped out. No doubt medical students who skipped the lecture on The Lungs.
Human-originated detritus risks ruining many a promising photo. When photographing Canonbury Gardens the other day, I had first to remove a red traffic cone from the field of view. When we returned some days later, it was back on the lawn where I had found it but this time in small pieces. How? Why?
The smoking ban (which I fully support) has had the unfortunate side-effect that smokers smoke more often in public places and because they are careless, selfish oafs they leave their stinking rubbish behind when they could as easily take it with them and dispose of it properly.
Excellent! THank you for sharing this. I used to have a fantasy crush on Keats and I totally love the Old London Bridge. Wish I could time travel back to walk across it.
Well I never! We came across this last year on one of the wonderful autumn ambles that runs in September. We heard about Keats and his connection, but don’t remember the alcove as having come from the old London Bridge in the discussion. Amazing stuff.