Pope's Urn

{{Short description|Memorial to Alexander Pope in Twickenham, London}}

File:Pope's Urn, Twickenham.jpg riverside]]

Pope's Urn, on Champion's Wharf{{Cite web |url=http://www.londongardensonline.org.uk/gardens-online-record.php?ID=RIC011 |title= Champions Wharf Sculpture Park |publisher= London Parks and Gardens Trust|access-date= 25 March 2018}} at Twickenham riverside in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, is a contemporary piece of public art inspired by the poetry of 18th-century Twickenham resident Alexander Pope,{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/sep/28/alexander-pope-urn-scuplture-twickenham-memorial |title= Alexander Pope is granted eternal sunshine of a Twickenham memorial|last=Flood |first=Alison |date=28 September 2015 |work=The Guardian |access-date=20 March 2018}} who is buried in the parish church that overlooks the wharf. It consists of a stylised urn on a pedestal, both made in corten steel and standing just over eight-foot (2.5 metres) high, surrounded by wooden benches inscribed with aphorisms written by Pope. It was commissioned to celebrate the 2015 Rugby World Cup, for which Twickenham Stadium was one of the venues, and was opened in a ceremony on 21 September 2015.{{Cite news |url=http://www.thisisourtown.co.uk/richmond/popes-urn-veiled-on-twickenham-riverside/9221253/ |title=Pope's Urn unveiled on Twickenham Riverside |publisher= This is Our Town|location= Richmond upon Thames|date=September 2015|access-date=20 March 2018}}

Pope's Urn was the initiative of Twickenham resident Graham Henderson as public art consultant for the London-based arts charity Poet in the City.{{Cite web |url=http://www.poetinthecity.co.uk/public-art/ |title=Public Art |date=2015 |publisher=Poet in the City|access-date=25 March 2018}} Henderson conceived the project and worked in partnership with Richmond upon Thames Council,{{Cite web |url=https://haveyoursay.citizenspace.com/richmondecs/popes-urn/ |title=Parks Improvement Programme – Pope's Urn at Champion's Wharf |publisher= London Borough of Richmond upon Thames|date=5 August 2015|access-date=25 March 2018}} and the architectural design practice Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios,{{Cite web |url=https://fcbstudios.com/latest/news/Popes-Urn-gets-planning-permission |title=Pope's Urn gets planning permission |date=6 August 2015 |publisher=Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios|access-date=22 March 2018}} to design, build and install it. It was unveiled by Lord True, Leader of Richmond Council, in a ceremony which included readings from Pope's works by the actor John Hannah, who is a local resident,{{Cite news |url=http://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/richmondnews/13579956.John_Hannah_appointed_patron_of_Richmond_s_music_and_drama_festival/ |title=John Hannah appointed patron of Richmond's music and drama festival |last=Cowley |first=Louise |date=8 August 2015 |work=Richmond and Twickenham Times |access-date=25 March 2018}} and by the actress Dame Harriet Walter.

The sculpture is based on drawings that have survived of an urn designed by Alexander Pope for a friend's garden at Hagley Hall, Worcestershire.{{Cite web |url=https://8late.wordpress.com/2015/09/13/popes-urn-sculpture/ |title=Pope's Urn Sculpture |last=Grix |first=Ken | publisher= Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios|date=13 September 2015 |access-date=25 March 2018}} The original urn no longer exists.