Mr Monkey scampered along the Strand until he came to the front gates of Somerset House, which was designed by William Chambers as a home for the Society of Antiquaries, the Royal Society, the Royal Academy, the Navy Board, and a number of other government departments. Just through the main gates, Mr Monkey stopped to look at a 1780 statue by John Bacon showing George III dressed as a Roman emperor. From the early 1880s there was a gentleman's toilet in the pedestal of the statue, but it was removed in 1922 after complaints.
You can read about the building at the Somerset House website.
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Copyright Rik Shepherd and Mr Monkey. This page last modified 4th February 2008