Monument to Edward Onslow Ford

This monument stands as a permanent tribute to the sculptor Edward Onslow Ford, who lived just a short distance from this very spot in St John's Wood. Erected around 1901 by his colleagues and friends, the structure was designed to honor a man who was deeply respected within the art world for his gentle disposition and his innovative contributions to the New Sculpture movement. The memorial features a Portland stone obelisk accented with bronze, including a relief bust of the sculptor himself. You might also notice a seated bronze figure at the base, which is a replica of a muse from one of Ford's most famous works, the Shelley Memorial. On the surface, you will find the inscription to thine own self be true, a line from Hamlet that served as a personal motto for the artist during his life.