Richmond in Greater London, England, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)
Temple of Bellona
Photographed By Michael Herrick, May 10, 2018
1. Temple of Bellona Marker
Fashion and the fight: built 1760
This building may sound romantic, but it's more about battle than beauty. The female counterpart to Mars, Bellona is actually the Roman goddess of war.
It's an appropriate dedication, as the architect Sir William Chambers — who redesigned the gardens for Princess Augusta — built this temple at the height of the Seven Years' War (1756-63).
At the time, every fashionable royal garden included a temple to Bellona. She was shown in plays, music, art, and architecture in stately homes across the country.
Sir William hoped that putting classical architecture in the (then) wild and untamed natural beauty of the Gardens would appeal to the ‘mind and imagination’ of the viewer. He also created a Temple of Peace but, sadly, that has not survived.
From 'Kew Gardens: A Series of Twenty-Four Drawings on Stone' by George Ernest Papendiek (1788-1835) engraved by Charles Hullmandel (1789-1850) published in 1820.
A black and white copy is held in Kew's Library, Art & Archives Collection. To find out more about our collections and the work of our archive team visit kew.org/library
Hard wood
During a recent restoration, we were amazed to discover that the temple is actually made of wood!
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Horticulture & Forestry.
Location. 51° 28.633′ N, 0° 17.483′ W. Marker is in Richmond, England, in Greater London. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Kew Road and Lichfield Road, on the left when traveling north. Located in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Richmond, England TW9 3JR, United Kingdom. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Kew Guild War Memorial (about 180 meters away, measured in a direct line); Chinese Guardian Lions (about 180 meters away); Barbara Everest (about 210 meters away); King William’s Temple (approx. 0.2 kilometers away); The Queen’s Garden (approx. 0.8 kilometers away); The Fox (approx. 4.2 kilometers away); Fred Russell (approx. 5.4 kilometers away); Putney Bridge and the River Thames (approx. 5.6 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Richmond.
Also see . . .
1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. (Submitted on June 13, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)
2. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew on Wikipedia
Photographed By Michael Herrick, May 10, 2018
2. Temple of Bellona
Photographed By Michael Herrick, May 10, 2018
3. Temple of Bellona
Credits. This page was last revised on January 27, 2022. It was originally submitted on June 13, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 202 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 13, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.
