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Keppel's Column was begun in 1778 by Charles, 2nd Marquis of Rockingham. It was finished after the death of the Marquis in 1782 by his nephew and heir, the 1st Earl Fitzwilliam. It was built to celebrate the acquittal of Admiral Keppel, a friend and Whig supporter of Rockingham, who had been court-martialled for cowardice against the French in the Battle of Ushant, 1778. The column stands unprotected in a field with easy public access a little under 3 miles from the centre of Rotherham. It has suffered extensive damage from mining subsidence and, in spite of some repair work carried out earlier this century, is considered too dangerous for public entry.