And… There’s always one!!!

Detail from the Statue of Hercules at Chirk Castle:

This lead statue of Hercules was commissioned in the 1720’s by Robert Myddelton, and stood outside the main entrance to the Castle with a companion figure of Mars. In June 1770 it was removed to an outlying wood in the park, whence it was rescued in 1983 by means of an R.A.F. helicopter. The severely damaged statue, has been restored by the National Trust. Inscribed in Latin on the plinth is a heroic couplet recording the statue’s flight and eventual repose.

You can see him in his full glory in a previous post of mine.

This lead statue of Hercules fighting a stone headed hydra with a wooden club stands at the east end of the top terrace of Powis Castle garden.

The fine statues at Powis were made in the workshop of Flemish John van Nost at the time the terraces were being created.  The Hercules is signed by Andries Carpentiere, one of van Nost’s leading craftsmen.  With the Fame and Pegasus, now in the courtyard, it probably once stood in the former water garden.*

*From the Powis Castle garden guidebook.

There is also a very prominent statue of Hercules (by Van Nost) set before the backdrop of the castle.  You can’t see the castle in my photo, but you know me I  just had to take the photo from an alternative angle! The plaque nearby gives some detail of the statue:

This lead statue of Hercules was commissioned in the 1720’s by Robert Myddelton, and stood outside the main entrance to the Castle with a companion figure of Mars. In June 1770 it was removed to an outlying wood in the park, whence it was rescued in 1983 by means of an R.A.F. helicopter. The severely damaged statue, has been restored by the National Trust. Inscribed in Latin on the plinth is a heroic couplet recording the statue’s flight and eventual repose.