Plaque to honour artist Edward Lear unveiled in London

The plaque was unveiled on what would have been the artist's 200th birthday

Edward Lear, the artist who popularised the modern-day limerick, has been honoured with a green plaque in London.

It was unveiled on Saturday on what would have been his 200th birthday.

The plaque has been placed at 15 Stratford Place in Westminster, the site where the artist lived from 1853 until 1869.

The plaque is part of Westminster Council's scheme to mark buildings associated with people who have made lasting contributions to society.

The artist, famed for writing the Owl and the Pussycat, was born in Holloway and was raised in Grays Inn Road.

The council's deputy leader, councillor Robert Davis, said: "Edward Lear was one of the finest artists of his generation and anyone who has ever raised a smile to a cheeky limerick has Lear to thank for his creativity in popularising the poem.

"He travelled extensively and worked all over the UK and Europe, but it is here at Stratford Place in which he spent most of his time in London.

"It is fitting that we pay tribute to him today on what would have been his 200th birthday and mark his contribution.

"Or as Lear himself might have said: 'There once was a man named Lear, who lived in a spot close to here. This plaque unveiled today, is a fitting way, to pay tribute on his two hundredth year.'"

So far, 97 plaques have been put up by the council, honouring people including Oscar Wilde, TS Eliot, Jane Austen and The Bee Gees.