Historic Statues Return to Stowe House’s South Front After 178 Years

Two long-lost statues have returned to Stowe House, completing the restoration of the South Front portico for the first time in nearly two centuries.

Stowe House Preservation Trust has reinstated copies of the seated figures of Cybele and Juno to their original niches, where they once stood before being sold at the famous 1848 Stowe Sale. Installed during December and January, their return marks a major milestone in the Trust’s ongoing programme of restoration.

Anna McEvoy, Co-Director and House Custodian at Stowe House, said:
“Seeing Cybele and Juno arrive has been deeply moving for everyone involved. It brings an architectural harmony back to the South Front that the building has been missing for almost two centuries.”

The statues were recreated following years of research and specialist craftsmanship. The original Roman Cybele, dating from around AD 50, is now held at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, while Juno’s original whereabouts are unknown. Using a 3D scan of Cybele supplied by the Getty, Cliveden Conservation enlisted sculptor Sam Steel to develop new statues that respected the originals while responding to the architectural constraints of the portico.

Each statue weighs around 700kg and was lifted into place using a specialist crane, one of only two of its type in the UK. Only the final limewash coat now remains, which will be applied in spring when conditions allow.

With Cybele and Juno reinstated, the South Front portico is now complete, joining the statues of Britannia, the Three Fates, and the freestanding sculptural groups of Hercules and Samson returned in 2018.

The project was made possible thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor and the continued support of visitors and supporters.

The Trust welcomes donations from anyone wishing to help protect the future of this Grade I listed building.