Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom England London Goodman’s Fields Horses
AO Edited

Goodman’s Fields Horses

Metal horses galloping through a London fountain provide a link to the city's past.

London, England

Added By
Gavin
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  Sludge G / CC BY 2.0
Two of the six horses with water splashing   Gavin / Atlas Obscura User
Lead horse   Gavin / Atlas Obscura User
Horse   Gavin / Atlas Obscura User
  Jes / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  disgrace / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  disgrace / Atlas Obscura User
  disgrace / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Six life-sized bronze statues show the freedom and movement of horses including splashes of water as they seem to gallop through the fountain. Some at first appear to be almost hidden between buildings with the horses in a number of different poses, including several that are in the large fountains that have a sequence of small splashes of water and lighting to provide the illusion of realistic movement as the horses gallop through the streets. 

The plaque reads "Having escaped from their livery stables, six horses gallop through the streets of London. Careering through crowds of pedestrians until they are brought to a halt by the traffic flow on Lemen street."

The nearby Goodman’s Field has an interesting history, written by the London historian, John Stow in his Survey of London and published in 1598. It provides some insight into the area, which included, "a farm belonging to the said nunnery; at the which farm I myself in my youth have fetched many a halfpenny worth of milk, and never had less than three ale pints for a halfpenny in the summer, nor less than one ale quart for a halfpenny in the winter, always hot from the kine, as the same was milked and strained. One Trolop, and afterwards Goodman, were the farmers there, and had thirty or forty kine to the pail. Goodman’s son being heir to his father’s purchase, let out the ground first for grazing of horses, and then for garden-plots, and lived like a gentleman thereby."

It was this written history that was the inspiration for Goodman’s Fields Horses, the sculptor, Hamish Mackie has portrayed the unbridled joy of horses being released from the toil of working in the London streets. He included six breeds of horse to illustrate the variety of horses from the past. 

Related Tags

Art Outside Sculptures Fountains Horses

Know Before You Go

The sculpture can be viewed at any time. It is on Piazza Walk, Goodmans Fields, between the Curzon Cinema and the Amazon Fresh convenience store. 

The nearest Underground station is Aldgate East, or from Whitechapel, which will pass past the fatberg manhole and the bell foundry. 

There is level access throughout, although there are randomly placed rocks and benches next to the unfenced water feature. 

Community Contributors

Added By

Gavin

Edited By

SEANETTA, jooniur, disgrace, Jes...

  • SEANETTA
  • jooniur
  • disgrace
  • Jes
  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

February 27, 2023

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Goodman’s Fields Horses
54 Leman St
London, England, E1 8EU
United Kingdom
51.513412, -0.070047
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Whitechapel Bell Foundry

London, England

miles away

London Wall

London, England

miles away

Aldgate Pump

London, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of London

London

England

Places 536
Stories 108

Nearby Places

Whitechapel Bell Foundry

London, England

miles away

London Wall

London, England

miles away

Aldgate Pump

London, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of London

London

England

Places 536
Stories 108

Related Places

  • Gijón, Spain

    Elogio del Horizonte

    This modern sculpture looks out over the sea and amplifies sound from the inside.

  • Basel, Switzerland

    Hammering Man

    This 42-foot tribute to the workforce still reminds us to pause and recharge.

  • Hello from the stone Gingerbread Man.

    Cassel, California

    Packway Sculpture Park

    A whimsical display of massive metal sculptures made from recycled materials.

  • Austin, Texas

    ‘Malin’s Fountain’

    An 18-foot-tall troll sculpture, made from recycled wood and materials found in nature.

  • Savannah, Georgia

    ‘Black Holocaust Memorial’

    Papier-mâché folk art recognizing horrors of slave trade.

  • Datenträger (Data Carrier).

    Lübeck, Germany

    ‘Datenträger’ (‘Data Carrier’)

    Rusted humanoid clutching a laptop and trailing cables.

  • Despite how it seems, this photo has not been stretched.

    Seoul, South Korea

    ‘Jangdokdae’

    A family of distorted sculptures stands outside Seoul's former imperial palace.

  • Wemding, Germany

    'Zeitpyramide' ('Time Pyramid')

    An abstract sculpture that will be a work in progress for the next 1,000 years.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.