He weighs 13 tons, and was made of separate parts cramped together. There are about 650 examples of Coade stone artworks still around today: our lion is one of the best examples. It fell out of favour in the 1840s today the cheaper Portland Cement is more likely to be used. Photo: Sarah Heenan.Ĭoade stone was popular for making statues and architectural decorations in the late 1700s and early 1800s, as it was easy to work with, and resistant to weathering. This lion is actually very long in the tooth. Not really stone at all, Coade stone is actually a ceramic material, or fortified clay, made to a recipe by a Richard Holt, and tweaked and perfected by Mrs Eleanor Coade around 1770. The secret to this big cat's polished appearance is down to a very special material: Coade stone. Looking at the lion's lovely clean white coat, smooth mane and pristine paws, it seems surprising he's nearly 200 years old. The brewery lay mostly derelict until it was demolished in 1949 to make way for the Royal Festival Hall. The Lion Brewery, and our feline friend, prospered it was badly damaged by a fire in 1931. By AG Linney, courtesy of the Museum of London. The Red Lion Brewery and Shot Tower on the south bank near Waterloo, in June, 1932. The word 'Coade' describes the material from which our lion is made. The WFW is his creator's initials: William Frederick Woodington was a notable sculptor, and curator of the Royal Academy's School of Sculpture from 1851. An inscription on his paw, 'WFW Coade ' gives a very precise birthday for this lovely lion.