Blake Statue
{{Short description|Statue in Bridgwater, Somerset, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox artwork
| title = Blake Statue
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| image = Blakes statue (geograph 3221206).jpg
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| artist = F. W. Pomeroy
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| completion_date = 1900
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| medium = Bronze
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| subject = Robert Blake
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| city = Bridgwater, Somerset, England
| coordinates = {{coord|51.1284|-3.0036|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_map = Somerset
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The Blake Statue in Bridgwater, Somerset, England was unveiled in 1900 to commemorate naval commander Robert Blake. The hollow bronze life size sculpture was crafted by F. W. Pomeroy. It is a Grade II* listed building.{{cite web|title=Blake Statue|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1205747|website=National Heritage List for England|publisher=Historic England|accessdate=15 June 2017}}
History
The hollow Bronze, statue was made by F. W. Pomeroy at a cost of £1,200.{{cite web|title=Admiral Blake|url=http://www.bridgwatertowncouncil.gov.uk/history/17th-century/admiral-blake/|publisher=Bridgwater Town Council|accessdate=12 June 2017|archive-date=30 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180730050713/https://www.bridgwatertowncouncil.gov.uk/history/17th-century/admiral-blake/|url-status=dead}} It was unveiled in 1900 by Lord Brassey. Pomeroy was a prolific British sculptor of architectural and monumental works. He was one of the so-called New Sculptors identified by Edmund Gosse in 1894 – a group distinguished by a stylistic turn towards naturalism and their work in architectural sculpture.
It was erected to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the birth of Robert Blake.{{cite web|title=Admiral Robert Blake, General at Sea (1599-1657) |url=http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/63948.html|publisher=Royal Museums, Greenwich|accessdate=12 June 2017}} £1,200 had been raised from public donation to fund the statue.{{cite web|title=Admiral Blake Statue|url=http://www.bridgwatertowncouncil.gov.uk/history/around-and-about-the-town/admiral-blake-statue/|publisher=Bridgwater Town Council|accessdate=12 June 2017}} Blake was one of the most important military commanders of the Commonwealth of England and one of the most famous English admirals of the 17th century.{{cite web|title=Who was Blake|url=http://www.bridgwatermuseum.org.uk/index_htm_files/whowasblake.pdf|publisher=Bridgwater Museum|accessdate=16 June 2017|archive-date=11 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611055026/http://bridgwatermuseum.org.uk/index_htm_files/whowasblake.pdf|url-status=dead}} He was elected as the Member of Parliament for Bridgwater in the Short Parliament. When the English Civil War broke out during the period of the Long Parliament, and having failed to be re-elected, Blake began his military career on the side of the parliamentarians despite having no substantial experience of military or naval matters.{{cite web|title=Robert Blake|url=http://bcw-project.org/biography/robert-blake|publisher=British Civil War Project|accessdate=16 June 2017}} Blake was appointed general at sea in 1649, serving in the First Anglo-Dutch War and Anglo-Spanish War.{{cite web|title=Robert Blake|url=http://www.westminster-abbey.org/our-history/people/robert-blake|publisher=Westminster Abbey|accessdate=16 June 2017}} Later he was made Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports.
The statue was moved to its current site in 1986 having previously stood in front of the Corn Exchange.{{cite web|title=Admiral Robert Blake|url=http://bridgwatertown.co.uk/Blake/Blake%20Statue.html|publisher=Bridgwater Town|accessdate=12 June 2017}}{{Dead link|date=June 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite news|url=https://www.bridgwatermercury.co.uk/news/5038031.those-were-the-days-bridgwater-in-1985-1995-and-2005/|title=Those Were The Days: Bridgwater in 1985, 1995 and 2005|date=3 March 2010|newspaper=Bridgwater Mercury|access-date=25 June 2023}}
Architecture
The hollow bronze statue depicts Blake dressed as a parliamentary soldier with his right arm outstretched and with a sword in his left hand.
The brick dais is surrounded by granite steps.{{cite web|title=Admiral Blake|url=http://www.pmsa.org.uk/pmsa-database/14336/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160512144048/http://pmsa.org.uk/pmsa-database/14336/|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 May 2016|publisher=Public Monuments and Sculpture Association|accessdate=12 June 2017}} The inscription on the front of the plinth says "Robert Blake born in this town 1598 died at sea 1657". The other three sides record his naval victories.
References
{{Commons category|Blake Statue, Bridgwater}}
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Category:Grade II* listed buildings in Sedgemoor
Category:Grade II* listed public art
Category:Monuments and memorials in Somerset