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This statue was originally intended to stand in Whitehall between the Horse Guards and the Admiralty. Permission was not granted for that location so it was erected here in Knightsbridge, in 1895.

From : "It was cast by G. Broad & Son, using bronze from guns taken in 1858 by the Central India Field Force (under Strathnairn's command) and presented by the Indian Government. The Portland-stone pedestal bore panels with the names of the Field Marshal's principal battles. Much gilding was used on both horse and rider, which, in the words of the Builder, 'though it may be objected to as too realistic, certainly gives a better decorative effect, in London atmosphere, than a bronze statue in its ordinary state.' ... Taken down in 1931, during work on a new subway for Knightsbridge underground station, the monument languished in storage until 1964, when Westminster Council decided to give it away on condition of reasonable public access. The successful bidder was Vernon E. Northcott, on whose estate at Foley Manor in Liphook, Hampshire, it still stands."

Our image of the statue in its original location comes from . have a painting of it. The site is now totally dedicated to traffic.

plots the statue's new position exactly: it's south-east of Liphook, immediately to the west of a body of water shaped like a boot, or Italy, just above the arch, or the town of Paola, depending on your chosen analogy.

Wondering why Northcott wanted a statue of Strathnairn, at we found a connection between Foley Manor and India (and by extension, Strathnairn): " ... bought Foley Manor in 1859. He later sold it to William Barrington Tristram, a former member of the Bombay Council who built the house's Victorian extension." We wonder if Northcott was related to Tristram?