Figure head of HMS Arethusa at Lower Upnor Kent on the banks of the River Medway

---

The figurehead was carved by James Hellyer and Sons of London and Portsmouth who had a long tradition as ships’ carvers. The ship’s figurehead is a metre high painted female bust, with brown hair parted in the centre. She is wearing an early Victorian period dress with her right breast exposed, as in the 19th century people believed a naked woman would calm a storm at sea.

---

Size: 8256px × 5504px
Location: Lower Upnor Kent
Photo credit: © Ian Goodrick / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 19th, arethusa, attraction, britain, british, carved, carving, centre, century, deserted, destination, east, empty, england, europe, figure, figurehead, fisheye, format, gb, goodrick, grade, great, head, heritage, historic, history, hms, horizontal, ii, isles, kent, kingdom, landscape, lens, listed, medway, memorial, museum, naval, navy, north, outwardbound, people, reach, restored, rochester, ship, south, strood, tourism, tourist, training, travel, uk, united, upnor, upper, village, west, wood, wooden