The last few years has seen a huge resurgence of interest in Canterbury in the 17th Century female poet and playwright, Aphra Behn. In the city of her birth, the Canterbury Commemoration Society decided to campaign for a statue and invited artists to submit designs. Over 50 applications were received, with 4 applicants subsequently short-listed and commissioned to make 50cm high bronze maquettes. The public voted overwhelmingly in favour of the design by Christine Charlesworth, and the culmination of a successful fund-raising project (target £75,000) occurred on February 25th 2025 with the unveiling of the statue by Queen Camilla in the centre of Canterbury attended by a large and enthusiastic crowd (Images 1-4). To read more about the life and works of Aphra Behn please refer to the research note by Ron Pepper.
What to see:
- An approximate life size bronze representation of Aphra as a young woman, with the facial features based on an engraving by Robert White, in turn based on a portrait by John Riley (1646-1691)(Images 5 and 6). The statue is situated to the left of the main entrance to the Beaney House of Art and Knowledge. It was cast by the Milwyn Foundry, West Molesey. Aphra is stepping forward confidently but also turning her head round to one side and speaking a little out of the corner of her mouth to whoever takes a message (see below).
- In her right hand she holds a copy of one of her works, possibly her most famous novella, Oroonoko
- An ink bottle and quill in special holder hanging from her waist and a purse holding rolls of paper
- Behind her back a theatre mask (signifying her dual activities of playwright and spy), and secreted up her sleeve a scroll, also suggestive of her activity as a spy to King Charles II (Image7).
- An open scroll against her skirt containing a quote from Virginia Woolf (on a page from, “A Room of One’s Own” that has blown against Aphra’s skirt, Image 8)
- At the statue’s feet two plaques commemorating Aphra Behn and the sculptor, Christine Charlesworth and the date of the unveiling by Queen Camilla (Image 9)
Click on each image below to enlarge
References
- Maureen Duffy, The Passionate Shepherdess: Aphra Behn, 1640-89 (Jonathan Cape, 1977)
- Todd, Janet (1997). The Secret Life of Aphra Behn. Rutgers University Press. ISBN 0-8135-2455-5.
- Janet Todd, Aphra Behn: A Secret Life. ISBN 978-1-909572-06-5, 2017 Fentum Press, revised edition
- Aphra Behn (ed. Joanna Lipking), Oroonoko (Norton and Co, 1997)
- Aphra Behn (ed. Paul Salzman), Oroonoko and Other Writings (Oxford University Press, 2009)
- Woolf, Virginia (1929). A Room of One’s Own.
- BBC Radio 4 12 October 2017 “In Our Time – Aphra Behn”
IO March 2025