Statue of George II, Greenwich

George II
Artist	John Michael Rysbrack
Completion date	1735
Subject	George II
Location	London
Coordinates	51°29′01″N0°00′21″W / 51.4837°N 0.0059°W / 51.4837; -0.0059
Listed Building – Grade II
Official name	Royal Naval College Statue of George II in Centre of Grand Square
Designated	8 June 1973
Reference no.	1211382

The statue of George II is a marble statue that stands in the centre of an open square within the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich. The statue was Grade II listed in June 1973. ^[1]

The marble used to make the statue had been captured from a French ship by George Rooke. It was intended to be used for a statue of Louis XIV before falling into British hands. Greenwich Hospital then acquired the marble in 1714 for the purpose of erecting a statue of William and Mary. Plans changed and a statue of George II was erected by John Jennings in 1735, probably in an attempt to attract the King as a patron for the hospital. ^[2]

The statue was designed by John Michael Rysbrack and shows the King in Roman attire. George's face is heavily weathered. ^[3]

References

1. "Royal Naval College Statue of George II in Centre of Grand Square, Non Civil Parish – 1211382 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
2. Blackwood, John (1989). London's immortals: the complete outdoor commemorative statues. London: Savoy Press. p. 40. ISBN   978-0-9514296-0-0.
3. Baker, Margaret (2002). Discovering London statues and monuments. Discovering series (5. ed., revised and updated ed.). Princes Risborough: Shire Publications. p. 189. ISBN   978-0-7478-0495-6.

External links

• Media related to Statue of George II, Greenwich at Wikimedia Commons