2024

SJ8498 : The Duke of Wellington

taken 1 year ago, near to Manchester, England

This is 1 of 2 images, with title The Duke of Wellington in this square
The Duke of Wellington
The Duke of Wellington


The Grade II listed LinkExternal link (Archive LinkExternal link ) Wellington monument in Piccadilly is by Matthew Noble.

The thirteen-foot larger than life statue of the Duke of Wellington shows him in later life dressed in a frock-coat with military decorations as though speaking in the House of Lords with his military dispatches at his feet. Below him at each corner of the square granite pedestal are four bronze figures, Mars, Minerva, Victory and Peace, representing his attributes, and below and between these are four bronze relief panels showing the high points of his career.

The inauguration of the monument on 30 August 1856 attracted as many as 100,000 spectators and was widely reported. The commentator in the Gentleman's Magazine described how "[t]he mayor having, on behalf of the corporation, accepted the statue, commanded it to be unveiled, which was done amid loud cheering, the band playing the national anthem, and the fountains beginning to play simultaneously" According to a contemporary source, the bronze used in the monument weighed 10 tons, while the granite for the pedestal weighed 100 tons, so it really is "colossal."

For more information see The Victorian Web: LinkExternal link

Since 2003 the statue has been dominated by the building known as "One Piccadilly Gardens" LinkExternal link The Grade A Office building houses six floors of office space, with shops and restaurants on the ground floor.

People often congregate around the statue or sit on the steps. Parked nearby is a police van.

Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Gerald England and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
+
+
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
TIP: Click the map for more Large scale mapping
Grid Square
SJ8498, 4168 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Gerald England   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Saturday, 2 November, 2024   (more nearby)
Submitted
Saturday, 28 December, 2024
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SJ 8445 9826 [10m precision]
WGS84: 53:28.8497N 2:14.1468W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SJ 8446 9828
View Direction
South-southwest (about 202 degrees)
Clickable map
+
NW N NE
W Go E
SW S SE
Image Type (about): geograph 
This page has been viewed about 46 times
You are not logged in | login | register