Marquess of Londonderry Statue, Durham

Towering over Durham’s Market Place, the Marquess of Londonderry Statue is one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks-though ask a local, and they’ll likely just call it “the horse.” Sculpted by Italian artist Raffaele Monti in 1854 and unveiled in 1861, this double life-sized equestrian figure depicts Charles William Vane Stewart, the 3rd Marquess of Londonderry. A celebrated cavalryman, Vane Stewart fought in both the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars.

Commissioned by his wife, the statue was originally placed in front of St. Nicholas Church but was relocated in 2010 to ease foot traffic. Today, it stands at the southern entrance to the Market Place and continues to serve as a popular meeting point.

Made of copper and plaster, the statue presents the Marquess in full military uniform, seated firmly on horseback-reflecting the style and values of 19th-century commemorative sculpture.
A well-known local story is often told about the monument. According to the tale, the sculptor offered a reward to anyone who could identify a flaw in the piece. A blind man was said to have discovered that the horse had no tongue, which supposedly led the sculptor to take his own life out of shame. In fact, the horse does have a tongue, and the artist, Raffaele Monti, continued working until his death in 1881. Despite this, the story remains part of the monument’s local identity.

Now a Grade II National Heritage listed monument, the statue blends history, gossip, and urban folklore. Most passersby may not know the full backstory, but they’ll know exactly what you mean when you say, “I’ll meet you at the horse.”