Great Yarmouth - Norfolk Naval Pillar or Nelson's Monument

The monument is in the style of a Doric column topped by six caryatid figures that support a statue of Britannia proudly standing atop a globe inscribed with the motto from Nelson's coat of arms palmam qvi mervit ferat ('Let him who has merited it take the palm'), she holds an olive branch in her outstretched right hand, a trident in her left and looks inland - said to be towards Nelson's birthplace. The whole monument is 144 ft (44 m) high.

On the square of the capital are the names of the ships on board of which the gallant Nelson gained his victories, and on the four sides of the summit of the basement are inscribed the names of the four principal battles:

Inscription(s)

THE FIRST STONE
of
THIS MONUMENT
was laid on the fifteenth day of august
mdcccxcvii
In the Majoralty of Isaac Preston, Jun. Esq.
by
the hon. col. john wodehouse,
chairman of the sub-committee appointed to carry this work
into execution
william wilkins, m.a. Architect

Members of the Sub-Committee
the hon. col. john wodehouse, Chairman
the right hon. the earl of oxford
the right hon. the lord suffield
sir jacob astley, bart. m.p.
sir william hoste, bart.
thomas william coke, esq. m.p.
edmund knowles lacon, esq. m.p.
william smith, esq. m.p.
edmund wodehouse, esq. m.p.
henry francis, esq. Secretary

HONAT: DOM. NELSON
quem, acerrimum præ caeteris in militia navali propugnatorem,
BRITANNIA
dum vixit, studiis et honoribus,
amissum, luctu proseciuebatur,
quem, triumphis in omni regione insignitum,
ob consiliorum constantiam et indomitum fortitudinis ardorem,
orbis terrarum
universus reformidabat.
NELSONUM ilium NORFOLCIA,
suum esse natalibus, et honesta prosapia, et pueritiæ institutione,
suum ingenio, moribus, animo gloriatur.
tanti nominis famam
ere et saxo perenniorem futuram,
concives norfolciences, sumptibus collatis
columna extructa commemorare voluerunt.
natus m.dcc.lviii.
militiam obiit m.dcc.lxxi.
centies fere quinquagies pugnam cum hostibus commisit
victor, inter multa, ABOUKIRIÆ, aug. m.dcc.xcviii.
HAFNIÆ apr. mdccc.i.
TRAFALGARIÆ oct. md.ccc.v.
quod supremum tot præclare gestorum facinus
patriæ funesta, sibi dulci et decora
morte consecravit.

HORATIO LORD NELSON,
Whom, as her first and proudest champion in naval fight,
Britain
honoured, while living, with her favour,
and, when lost, with her tears;
Of whom, signalized by his triumphs in all lands,
the whole earth
stood in awe on account of the tempered firmness of his
counsels, and the undaunted ardour of his courage;
This great man, NELSON NORFOLK
boasts her own, not only as born there of a
respectable family, and as there having received his
early education, but ber own also in talents,
manners, and mind.
The glory of so great a name though sure long to
outlive all monuments of brass and stone,
his fellow countrymen of Norfolk have resolved to commemorate
by this column, erected by their joint contributions.
He was born in the year 1758;
Entered on his profession in 1771;
And was concerned in nearly 150 naval engagements with the enemy.
Being conqueror, among various other occasions, at Aboukir, August, 1798;
At Copenhagen, April, 1801;
And at Trafalgar, October, 1805:
Which last victory, the crown of so many glorious achievements,
he consecrated by a death, equally mournful to his
country, and honourable to himself

VANGUARD	ELEPHANT	CAPTAIN	VICTORY
ABOVKIR	COPENHAGEN	ST. VINCENT	TRAFALGAR

Statues - Hither & Thither

Norfolk Naval Pillar or Nelson's Monument

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Inscription(s)

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Locatie (N 52°35'18" - E 1°44'0") (Satellite view: Google Maps)