Figurehead of the HMS Bellerophon
Basic Information
- FigID
- F0201
- InstID
- Figurehead type
- Figurehead
- Title
- Figurehead of the HMS Bellerophon
- Vessel name
- HMS Bellerophon
- Type (Naval/Merchant)
- Naval
- Copyright owner
- © National Museum of the Royal Navy
- Copyright notes
- Photo: © National Museum of the Royal Navy
- Current location
- National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth
- Location date
Physical Information
- Description
- This figurehead replaced one of the Duke of Wellington on the ship formerly known as HMS 'Waterloo'. Unlike the 1786 figurehead of 'Bellerophon', this bust is much simpler. It is a portrayal of the Greek hero, 'Bellerophon', a warrior. He fought the Chimera and also caught the winged horse Pegasus, using Minerva’s magic. The male figure wears a black and gold plumed helmet and gold and black armour.
- Maker
- Hellyer
- Date made
- 1824
- Place made
- Portsmouth
- Size
- Materials
- Wood
- Object history
- This figurehead replaced the former HMS Waterloo’s Duke of Wellington in 1824.
- Vessel history
- HMS 'Bellerophon' was originally named HMS 'Talavera' and then renamed HMS 'Waterloo' in 1818, the year of her launch. Built in Portsmouth Dockyard she was not fitted out until 1836 her name having been changed to 'Bellerophon' in 1824. She joined the Mediterranean fleet serving in the Syria Campaign in 1840 bombarding the city of Acre. During the Crimea War she took part in the bombardment of Sevastopol. The ship was decommissioned in 1855 and went on to become a receiving ship the following year after her return to Portsmouth. HMS 'Bellerophon' was sold and broken up by J. Read of Portsmouth in 1892.
- Bibliography
- David Pulvertaft ‘The Warship Figureheads of Portsmouth’ (Stroud, 2009) p.46
Admiralty Catalogue(1911) No 341
Ownership Information
- Owner type
- Public Institution
- Owner name
- National Museum of the Royal Navy
- Contact details
- National Museum of the Royal Navy, HM Naval Base (PP66), Portsmouth PO1 3NH
- Ownership can be cited online
- Yes
- Accessible to public
- Yes
- Data verified by owner
- No
- Date verified

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