A TWO-METRE high bronze statue of Dr John Radcliffe has been unveiled in front of the Radcliffe Observatory at Green Templeton College.

To celebrate the tercentenary in 2014 of Radcliffe’s death, the Ashmolean Museum, with finance from the Radcliffe Trustees, commissioned Martin Jennings to make a larger-than-life-size bronze sculpture of Radcliffe to stand in front of the Observatory off Woodstock Road.

Prof Denise Lievesley, Principal of Green Templeton College said: “It is a great honour that the Ashmolean, through the generosity of The Radcliffe Trust, has commissioned this sculpture to stand in front of the Radcliffe Observatory, the focal point of our college. We are especially proud to give a home to this masterpiece by Martin Jennings which adds John Radcliffe to his works of consummate art sited in prominent public places to celebrate the lives of luminaries in our history.”

John Radcliffe (1653-1714) was the most successful physician of his day and the doctor to the likes of Queen Anne. After his death in 1714 the bulk of his fortune was left to his trustees. Funding was used for the Radcliffe Camera, the Radcliffe Infirmary in Woodstock Road, and the Radcliffe Observatory.