Davison's Obelisk

Those who travel along the current A1 are unlikely to have seen Davison's Obelisk even in its newly restored state.  It stands just south of Rashercap on the OLD A1 and is bypassed by the carriageway north of Felton.

But it is well worth the slight detour.

Erected in 1807 by Alexander Davison this fairly obscure monument is a memorial to Horatio Nelson of Battle of Trafalgar fame. Tucked away in the trees for many years it has been refurbished and restored thanks to grants from Northumberland County Council, Alnwick District Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

There are three inscriptions on the monument:

 England expects every man to do his duty

Victory 21st October 1805

Not to commemorate the public virtues and heroic achievements of Nelson, which is the duty of England; But to the memory of private friendship, this erection is dedicated by Alexander Davison, 1807.
 

The stonemason was Thos Robson whose name was found during the renovations.

Alexander Davison had a chequered career. B 1750 in Lanton, Northumberland, he began his business career during the American War of Independence as a merchant in Quebec. He was involved in textiles and shipping and worked as a supply agent for the British Government. In Quebec he met Horatio Nelson who was then captain of the Albemarle. It is said that their friendship was cemented when he "counselled Nelson against offering marriage to a local belle" thus preventing him from jeopardising his career.

In 1786 he returned to England where he purchased the Swarland Estate and set about enlarging the house and improving the grounds..

In 1798 following the Battle of the Nile he was appointed prize agent by Nelson when he awarded medals to all those who had fought in the conflict. For his own part he decided to plant a living replica of the Battle of Aboukir Bay to the east of his house. This was created using trees and shrubs to represent battle fleets. There were 14 clumps of trees, surrounded by wooden railings with name plates attached, none of which has survived and today only a few "ships" remain.

It was reported in the Newcastle Journal of May 1934 that "They are cutting down the ships" when trees were felled to accommodate small holdings.

But his career did not stop there . He was imprisoned for in May as a result of a successful attempt to rig an election fees for goods from his own factories thus profiting from both profit margin and finders fees. This time he got twenty one months in gaol.

Davison died in Brighton in 1829 and is buried in the family vault at Kirknewton.