Statue for Denbigh adventurer Henry Morton Stanley

Sep 3 2008 By David Simister

DENBIGH’S answer to Indiana Jones could soon be making a comeback to the town after the county council announced it is looking to commission a Stanley statue.

The authority are hoping to recreate a sculpture of adventurer Henry Morton Stanley, who was born in the town and is best-known for discovering Dr David Livingstone in the wilds of Africa.

"It’s been on the cards for a while now, especially given that Henry Morton Stanley’s such a respected figure," said Denbigh councillor Raymond Bartley.

"A statue of this very well- known Denbigh man would be a very welcome addition to the town."

The county council is hoping to repair an existing statue of the famous explorer, located in the Democratic Republic of Congo and wants to commission a replica to be placed in Denbigh Town Centre. Currently the local authority is seeking a specialist to help secure funding for the project.

So far a budget of £5,000 has been allocated to the project, which the county council is hoping will cover the costs of repairing the African statue, obtaining a mould of it and then commissioning a recreation for Denbigh town centre.

Henry Morton Stanley, who was born in the town in 1841, is remembered as the explorer who found Dr Livingstone, uttering the famous line: "Dr Livingstone, I presume?" when the two met in 1871.

He is now remembered as an American journalist famed for his explorations of Africa, including one expedition in 1874 to map the course of the River Congo, but now county officials are keen to mark his links with the town.