Wellington Monument, Somerset
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  Location within Somerset
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| Coordinates | 50°57′01″N 3°13′58″W / 50.9504°N 3.2327°W |
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| Town | Wellington |
| Country | England |
| Started | 1817 |
| Completed | 1854 |
| Size | 175 feet (53 m) high |
| Architect | Thomas Lee |
The Wellington Monument is a 175 feet (53 m) high triangular tower located on the highest point of the Blackdown Hills, 3km south of Wellington, Somerset, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a grade II* listed building.1
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.2 It is 80 feet (24 m) wide at the base. A counterweight hangs inside to help balance the Monument in windy weather. An internal staircase ascends to a viewing platform.3
It is now owned by the National Trust, and is floodlit at night. Originally four cannon 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.4
In June 2009 the National Trust announced plans to reclad the monument at a cost of £4 million.5
References
- ^ "Wellington Monument". Images of England. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/details/default.aspx?id=271122. Retrieved 2007-10-15.
- ^ Leete-Hodge, Lornie (1985). Curiosities of Somerset. Bodmin: Bossiney Books. p. 67. ISBN 0906456983.
- ^ "Wellington Monument". Taunton Deane Borough Council website. http://www.tauntondeane.gov.uk/tdbcsites/her/wellingtonmonument.asp. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
- ^ "Quantocks, Exmoor and South Somerset". National Trust website. 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. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
- ^ "Wellington monument to cost £4m". BBC News (BBC). 2009-06-16. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/8102376.stm. Retrieved 2009-06-16.