Nelson Monument, Edinburgh

Coordinates: 55°57′15.6″N 3°10′57.3″W / 55.954333°N 3.182583°W / 55.954333; -3.182583
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Nelson Monument
Flags fly from the Nelson Monument on Calton Hill on Trafalgar Day 2013

The Nelson Monument is a commemorative tower in honour of

Calton Hill, and provides a dramatic termination to the vista along Princes Street from the west. The monument was built between 1807 and 1816 to commemorate Nelson's victory over the French and Spanish fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, and his own death at the same battle.[1] In 1852 a mechanized time ball was added, as a time signal to shipping in Leith harbour. The time ball is synchronized with the One O'Clock Gun
firing from Edinburgh Castle. The monument was restored in 2009.

The Royal Navy's White Ensign and signal flags spelling out Nelson's famous message "England expects that every man will do his duty" are flown from the monument on Trafalgar Day each year.[2]

History

1843 photo of Nelson Monument by Robert Adamson
The Nelson Monument on Calton Hill.

The monument was constructed at the highest point of Calton Hill, at 171 metres (561 ft) above sea-level,

castellated building, which forms the base to the tower, between 1814 and 1816.[5]
The tower was intended as a signal mast, attended by sailors who would be accommodated within the ground floor rooms, although these were in use as a tea room by 1820. Public access was available from the start, for a small fee.[5] The rooms were later used to house the monument's caretaker.[5] In 2009, as part of the "Twelve Monuments Restoration Project", the tower was comprehensively restored, including repairs to stonework and metalwork.[4] The monument is a category A listed building.[5]

The monument is 32 metres (105 ft) high, and has 143 steps leading to a public viewing gallery.[4] The castellated design reflects the castellated prison buildings which stood on the south side of Calton Hill in the early 19th century.[5]

A plaque above the entrance to the monument carries the following dedication:

To the memory of Vice-Admiral Horatio Lord Viscount Nelson, and of the great victory of Trafalgar, too dearly purchased with his blood, the grateful citizens of Edinburgh have erected this monument: not to express their unavailing sorrow for his death; nor yet to celebrate this matchless glories of his life; but, by his noble example, to teach their sons to emulate what they admire, and, like him, when duty requires it, to die for their country. AD MDCCCV[6]

Above the plaque is a stone carving of the

Battle of Cape St Vincent in 1797.[4]

Time ball

Time ball on the Nelson Monument

On top of the tower is a

Greenwich Observatory.[4] The installation was carried out by James Ritchie & Son who are still retained by City of Edinburgh Council to maintain and operate the time ball.[4]

The ball, constructed of wood and covered in

One O'Clock Gun was established at Edinburgh Castle to provide an audible signal when fog obscured the time ball.[5] The time ball was operated for over 150 years, until it was damaged by a storm in 2007.[3] In 2009, as part of the restoration of the monument, the time ball was removed, and the mechanism repaired. The time ball was brought back into service on 24 September 2009.[9] The mechanism is now operated manually, based on the firing of the One O'Clock Gun.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Nelson Monument". City of Edinburgh Council. Archived from the original on 16 August 2009. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
  2. ^ MacLeod, Michael (21 October 2010). "Edinburgh's Nelson Monument raises the flag for Trafalgar Day". The Guardian. London.
  3. ^ a b "1 July 2009: Nelson Monument, Edinburgh". Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Marshall, Alan (Autumn 2009). "Nelson Monument". AHSS Magazine. 26: 14–17.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Historic Environment Scotland. "Calton Hill, off Regent Road, Nelson's Monument (Category A Listed Building) (LB27823)". Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  6. ^ "Nelson Monument". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
  7. S2CID 109474035
    . Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  8. S2CID 110121595
    . Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  9. ^ "A timely restoration". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. 24 September 2009. Retrieved 25 September 2009.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nelson's Monument, Edinburgh.

55°57′15.6″N 3°10′57.3″W / 55.954333°N 3.182583°W / 55.954333; -3.182583

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