Opposite the Houses of Parliament on the south side of the River Thames, London, stands the South Bank Lion, a statue with an eventful past which involves a royal pardon.
 
Despite the pristine coat, the sculpture dates back to 1837, the same year of Queen Victoria's accession. The lion was once mounted on the parapet of the Lion Brewery on the Lambeth bank overlooking the River Thames. Founded by James Golding in 1836, the Lion Brewery Co. was a leading beer exporter during the 19th century, shipping its ales to trading posts throughout the British Empire.
 
Goding commissioned the sculptor William Frederick Woodington to create a set of lion statues to adorn the newly built brewery; the second stone lion was to stand guard on the arched gateway on the south side of Belvedere Road. Weighing around 13 tonnes each, the lions were cast in parts in the neighbouring Coade Stone Works and formed on an iron frame. The weight of the statue could be attributed to the proximity of the workshop.
 
Praised for the sharpness of outline, the Lions are a testament to the incredible durability of Coade stone, particularly its resistance to frost and weathering despite years of exposure to London's severe air pollution. Coade stone is a type of ceramic material rather than stone. Also called Lithodipyra from the Greek for 'twice-fired stone', Eleanor Coade was noted for its invention in 1769. While not the first artificial stone on the market, the formulation perfected by Eleanor ensured consistent shrinkage during the drying process, avoiding cracking and distortion. The formula was a closely guarded secret, which added to its appeal.
 
From her factory in Lambeth, Eleanor was soon dispatching vast numbers of Coade stone sculptures and architectural features across the country. A trailblazer at a time when industry was male-dominated, Eleanor was an acute businesswoman as well as a craftswoman running her successful company for over fifty years. After her death in 1821, Coade stone fell out of favour due to the development of Portland Cement, which took over as the preferred material. The lion statues are thought to be one of the very last commissions produced by the Coade Stone factory; inscribed under the paw are the sculptor's initials and the date 'WFW Coade 24 May 1837.'
 
Over the years, the lion overlooking the Thames gained legendary status. The French writer Emile Zola was an early admirer; during a trip to London in 1893, he stayed at the Savoy Hotel, directly across the river from the brewery. He wrote, 'It amused me greatly, this British Lion waiting to wish me good morning'. It is also said that towards the end of his life, Zola returned to visit the statue, which he affectionately referred to as 'my lion.'
 
The Lion Brewery Co. was severely damaged by fire and eventually closed its doors in 1931, leaving the building derelict. During the Second World War, the lonely South Bank lion gained deeper meaning, symbolising hope and patriotism with the saying, "So long as the lion stands, London will stand". Against the odds, the lions and the old brewery survived until the plans for the festival of Britain. The old building, including the pair of lions, was set to be demolished in 1949 to make way for the construction of the Royal Festival Hall as part of the festival. Thousands of Londoners petitioned the London County Council to save the Lions. The King George VI himself intervened and ordered their preservation.
 
The rescued South Bank Lion was repaired and repainted red as an ode to British Rail's mascot: a red lion. During the restoration, workers discovered a time capsule in its back containing two William IV coins and a Coade trade card. The newly made-over statue was mounted on a high plinth beside the entrance to the Festival of Britain near Waterloo station.
 
This was not his last resting place. The lion was moved again in 1966 due to the station's expansion. The red paint was removed to reveal the glossy white Coade stone, and a 1966 coin, a copy of the GLC Chairman's letter and an article on Coade stone by JH Holroyd were added to the time capsule. The lion was re-erected in its current location on a large granite plinth at the south end of Westminster Bridge, sadly a less majestic position overlooking a road rather than the river. You may ask what happened to the other lion; the statue also remains in London. It was presented to the Rugby Football Union in 1971, its centenary season, and stands at the west-gate entrance of Twickenham Stadium, covered in gold leaf to mark the hosting of the Rugby World Cup in 1991.