Photo: Julie Anne Workman / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Wellington Monument is a Grade II* listed historic building in Somerset, cared for by the National Trust. Read about its history and architecture, plus how to visit and what's nearby.
About Wellington Monument
The Wellington Monument stands on the Blackdown Hills above the Somerset town of Wellington.
This triangular obelisk was raised to mark the Duke of Wellington's victory at Waterloo.
At around 53 metres, it is the tallest three-sided obelisk in the world.
Construction began soon after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, but work progressed slowly over nearly forty years, hampered by funding difficulties and repeated design reductions, until completion in 1854.
The National Trust manages the monument, and a waymarked path leads up through woodland to its base.
Read more on WikipediaHistory of Wellington Monument
The monument was planned soon after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 to honour the first Duke of Wellington, who took his title from the Somerset town. The architect Thomas Lee designed the structure on a triangular plan, unusual among monuments of the period. Funds proved short through the decades of building, and the original design was scaled back more than once before completion in 1854.
Architecture of Wellington Monument
The obelisk is built in a triangular section, the only one of its scale in the world, rising from a stone base to a tapering point.
Worth knowing
The scheme was originally intended to rise much taller than the finished structure, with plans scaled down repeatedly as subscriptions failed to cover the cost. This long and troubled construction contrasts sharply with the swift and decisive victory it was meant to celebrate.
Plan your visit to Wellington Monument
Nearest station: Tiverton Parkway Rail Station (6.1 miles)
Places to visit near Wellington Monument
Knightshayes Court
View Knightshayes Court on heritage mapTiverton Castle
View Tiverton Castle on heritage mapHistoric places nearby
Within 10 miles of Wellington Monument there are 1 historic properties, including 1 garden.
Within 20 miles of Wellington Monument there are 24 historic properties, including 12 historic buildings and 9 historic houses, across Historic Houses, National Trust and English Heritage sites.
Facts
The world's tallest three-sided obelisk, and a monument that took nearly forty years to finish.
- Type
- historic building
- Location
- Somerset, England
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