Wellington Monument, Somerset

Wellington Monument, Somerset

Infobox Historic building
name=Wellington Monument


caption=
map_type=
latitude=50.94747
longitude=-3.23095
location_town=Wellington
location_country=England
map_type=Somerset
latitude= 50.9504
longitude= -3.2327
architect=Thomas Lee
client=
engineer=
construction_start_date=1817
completion_date=1854
date_demolished=
cost=
structural_system=
style=
size=convert|175|ft|m high

The Wellington Monument is a convert|175|ft|m high triangular tower located on the highest point of the Blackdown Hills, 3km south of Wellington, Somerset.

It was erected to celebrate the Duke of Wellington's victory at the Battle of Waterloo. The foundation stone was laid in 1817, on land belonging to the Duke, but the monument was not completed until 1854. Its design was inspired by an Egyptian obelisk, but in the shape of the type of bayonet used by Wellington's armies.cite book |title=Curiosities of Somerset |last=Leete-Hodge |first=Lornie |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1985 |publisher=Bossiney Books |location=Bodmin |isbn=0906456983 |pages=67 ] It is 80 feet wide at the base. A counterweight hangs inside to help balance the Monument in windy weather. An internal staircase ascends to a viewing platform. [cite web | title=Wellington Monument | work=Taunton Deane Borough Council website | url=http://www.tauntondeane.gov.uk/tdbcsites/her/wellingtonmonument.asp | accessdate=2007-09-24]

It is now owned by the National Trust, and is floodlit at night. Originally four cannons surrounded the Monument, but these were removed during the Second World War (1939-1945) and used for scrap to help the war effort. In 1985 the Wellington Rotary Club donated the cannon currently standing at the base of the Monument. The viewing platform is currently (2007) closed due to safety concerns. [cite web | title=Quantocks, Exmoor and South Somerset | work=National Trust website | url=http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-global/w-localtoyou/w-wessex/w-wessex-countryside/w-wessex-countryside-somerset-home-2/w-wessex-countryside-somerset-quantocks_exmoor_south_somerset-2.htm | accessdate=2007-10-14]

It has been designated by English Heritage as a grade II* listed building. [cite web | title=Wellington Monument | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=271122 | accessdate=2007-10-15]

References

External links

* [http://www.follytowers.com/wellington.html Follies and monuments]


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