65.27.1
King George Statue Fragment
Joseph Wilton (created by)
1768 – 1775 (Earliest/Latest dates)
Lead
3" H
X
3 1/2" W
X
2 3/8" D
The equestrian statue of King George III that stood on Bowling Green was the work of the coincidentally named English sculptor Joseph Wilton. On July 9, 1776, a group of Patriots pulled the 4,000 pound statue down in front of a cheering crowd. The statue was broken into pieces and hauled off towards Litchfield, CT, to be melted down into musket balls for the Continental Army. During an overnight stay at the Raymond Tavern in Wilton, several hundred pounds of the statue disappeared, likely taken by local Tories. Pieces of have since been found in Crowne Pond, but much of the statue remains missing.
Courtesy of John Davenport
65.27.1