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All the United Kingdom England London Panyer Boy

Panyer Boy

A mysterious carving from 17th-century London seemingly depicts a young boy sitting on a bread basket.

London, England

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AmunyAnkhesenra
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Panyer Boy stone carving.   AmunyAnkhesenra / Atlas Obscura User
Panyer Boy stone carving.   AmunyAnkhesenra / Atlas Obscura User
Panyer Boy inscription.   AmunyAnkhesenra / Atlas Obscura User
  Matt Brown/cc by 2.0
Panyer Boy of Panyer Alley.   Bashereyre/cc by-sa 3.0
  rbenn250 / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  AdOYo / Atlas Obscura User
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About

A small and weathered relief of a boy perched on top of what appears to be a basket can be found mounted on the wall of a coffee shop just outside St Paul’s tube station. It is perhaps one of the more mysterious objects in the city of London, as no one can quite agree on its origins, or exactly what it is supposed to be depicting.

It is not known for what building the basket boy was originally commissioned, but the relief is known to have been moved from one edifice to another as each was demolished, which is how it ended up in its present location. It is also reckoned to have always been in the vicinity of what is now Panyer Alley, a street named after the boys who sold bread from pannier baskets.

It would make sense to conclude, then, that the so-called Panyer Boy is sitting on a bread basket. Or could it actually be a pile of ropes? Is it a bunch of grapes he is offering, or is he squashing them against foot? Then there is the question of the inscription: "When ye have sought the Citty round yet still this is the highest ground. August 27, 1688." This seems to imply that the location of the carving was the highest point in the city, when at the date given, the highest point was actually some half mile away in Cornhill.

Without knowing the original intentions of the stonemason who made the relief, and with the image eroded by time, it is possible that the purpose of the bread basket boy might remain elusive forever.

Related Tags

Mystery History Art Sculptures Architectural Oddities Bread Architecture

Know Before You Go

Located on street level of Panyer Alley, adjacent to Caffe Nero, on the left of the top of the stairs when leaving St Paul's Tube Station.

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Added By

AmunyAnkhesenra

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jooniur, Meg, Collector of Experiences, rbenn250...

  • jooniur
  • Meg
  • Collector of Experiences
  • rbenn250
  • AdOYo

Published

December 20, 2018

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Panyer Boy
Panyer Alley
London, England
United Kingdom
51.515072, -0.097757
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