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London's Saddest Statue... But Who Is He?

"Woe, woe, woe is me."

They call him the Melancholy Man.

This gloomy statue can be found in Holland Park's Formal Garden. He cowers in a niche, speckled with lichen, his feet partially buried.

Who is this sombre gentleman?

Nobody really knows. According to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea:

Very little is known about this statue except that it possibly dates from the 16th century and is made of limestone.

If he truly is from the 16th century, then that would place him among London's oldest statues. He's probably peered out onto the garden since it was first laid out by Serafino Bonaiuti in 1812. But where he came from, and who he represents have been lost in the mists of time.

He needs cheering up. Next time you're passing through the park, why not visit the sorrowful statue and whisper him your best joke. Let's start a new London tradition.