Northumberland
is a remarkably interesting place. Hidden away at the side of a road, down an
alley or in the middle of a field you can find obscure, half forgotten
monuments and stones.
Alnwick, a mere 12 miles from Rothbury is home to one of these.
Tucked away in the Alnwick Golf Club, at the top of a hill and surrounded by
trees, stands the almost forgotten Peace Monument.
Commissioned by
Henry Collingwood Selby this
monument to the former glories of England
was erected in the
grounds of Swansfield
House
in 1814.
It
commemorates
England's success in defeating the French in 1814, and
in particular the part played by William Pitt, Wellington and Nelson.
The monument stands in a small wood within sight of the golf
club and is surmounted by a platform with a small pedestal and ball
finial.
Generally it is
in fairly reasonable condition and although the south inscription at
the base is almost completely worn away the others are just legible.
There is a story that the trees
surrounding the column were originally planted to commemorate the ships at the Battle of Trafalgar and this may
well be true as the trees in the area of
Davidson's Obelisk
were supposed to
be a living replica of the Battle of Aboukir.
|
South Face |
|
West Face |
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ENGLAND HAS SAVED HERSELF BY HER FIRMNESS
AND EUROPE BY HER
EXAMPLE.
THIS PILLAR WAS ERECTED BY
HENRY COLLINGWOOD SELBY,
A
MAGISTRATE OF THIS COUNTY,
TO COMMEMORATE
THE PERSEVERING AND VICTORIOUS
EFFORTS
OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE
BY SEA AND LAND
DURING AN ARDUOUS
STRUGGLE OF XX YEARS,
AND
THE SIGNAL SUCCESSES OF
THE POWER UNITED
WITH THIS COUNTRY
AT THE CLOSE OF THAT EVENTFUL PERIOD;
THE EXPULSION OF
THE FRENCH FROM RUSSIA
AFTER THE BURNING OF MOSCOW IN MDCCCXII
THE
DEFEATS OF THEIR ARMIES IN GERMANY
IN THE MEMORABLE CAMPAIGN OF MDCCCXIII
THE INVASION OF FRANCE,
THE SURRENDER OF PARIS,
THE DOWNFALL OF
NAPOLEON BUONAPARTE,
THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BOURBON MONARCHS,
AND
THE RESTORATION OF PEACE TO EUROPE
IN MDCCCXIV |
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VICE-ADMIRAL
HORATIO VISCOUNT NELSON
OF THE NILE
DEFEATED THE FRENCH AND DANISH
FLEETS
AT ABOUKIR AND COPENHAGEN,
AND FELL
IN THE DECISIVE VICTORY
OF TRAFALGAR
ACHIEVED OVER THE COMBINED NAVIES
OF FRANCE AND SPAIN
IN MDCCCV. |
|
North Face |
|
East Face |
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FIELD MARSHAL
THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON
HAVING VANQUISHED
THE ARMIES OF FRANCE
IN PORTUGAL
AND IN SPAIN,
AT THE BATTLES OF
VALMEIRA AND TALAVERA,
SALAMANCA AND VITTORIA,
DROVE THEM BEYOND THE
PYRENEES,
AND ADVANCING TO THE BANKS OF THE GARONNE
AGAIN OVERTHREW THEM
UNDER THE WALLS OF TOULOUSE
IN MDCCCXIV |
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THE
RIGHT HONOURABLE
WILLIAM PITT
DIRECTED
THE COUNCILS AND ENERGIES OF
HIS COUNTRY
DURING THE FIRST YEARS
OF A JUST AND NECESSARY WAR,
AND
DIED IN MDCCCVI
HAVING ESTABLISHED
THAT WISE AND VIGOROUS SYSTEM OF
POLICY
WHICH SUCCEEDING STATESMEN
EMULOUS OF HIS EXAMPLE,
STEADILY
PURSUED
TILL THEY SECURED
INDEPENDENCE
FOR THE NATIONS OF THE CONTINENT
AND A PEACE OF UNPARALLELED GLORY
FOR THIS EMPIRE.
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