Boadicea and Her Daughters

Boadicea and Her Daughters is a bronze statue group on Westminster Bridge in the City of Westminster. It stands on the north side of the bridge’s western end, facing the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben across the road. The work was created by Thomas Thornycroft over nearly thirty years, from 1856 until his death in 1885. His wife Mary Thornycroft completed the sculpture after his death. The statue was finally erected in 1902 and became a focus for the women’s suffrage movement. The statue shows Boadicea, queen of the Iceni, standing in a chariot drawn by two rearing horses. Her two daughters sit beside her, one on each side, with bare breasts and crouching postures. Boadicea holds a spear in her right hand and raises her left hand high. The chariot has scythe blades fixed to its wheels, based on Roman designs. The work is recognised as Thornycroft’s greatest achievement in sculpture. Visitors find the statue on a busy corner near Westminster Pier and Portcullis House. The granite plinth bears inscriptions about Boadicea and the sculptor’s family. Souvenir stalls often stand close to the pedestal. The statue overlooks the Embankment traffic and the flow of tourists heading to the South Bank. It remains a landmark where people pause and gather in central London.