- Type of Memorial
- Pillar / Column
- WMR Reference Number
- 19931
- Description
- A stone fluted Doric column on a square pedestal standing on a raised plinth. The pedestal has one recessed niche in each face and a frieze of laurel wreaths. On the top of the column is a small viewing platform surrounded by six caryatids. These figures of victory are topped by a figure of Britannia standing on a globe.
- Inscription
- (ABACUS WEST FACE) VICTORY //
(ABACUS NORTH FACE) ELEPHANT //
(ABACUS EAST FACE) CAPTAIN //
(ABACUS SOUTH FACE) VANGUARD //
(PEDESTAL WEST FACE) TRAFALGAR / (IN LATIN) HORAT. DOM. NELSON. / QUEM, ACERRIMUM PRAE CAETERIA IN MILITIA NAVALI PROPUGNATOREM, / BRITANNIA / DUM VIXIT, STUDIIS ET HONORIBUS, / AMISSUM, LUCTU PROSEQUEBATUR, / QUEM, TRIUMPHIS IN OMNI REGIONE INSIGNITUM / OB CONSILIORUM CONSTANTIAM AT INDOMITUM FORTITUDINIS ARDOREM, / ORBIS TERRARUM / UNIVERSUS REFORMIDABAT. / NELSONUM ILLUM NORFOLCIA / SUUAM ESSE NATALIBUS, ET HONESTA PROSAPIA, ET PUERITIAE INSTITUTIONE, / SUUM INGENIO, MORIBUS, ANIMO GLORIATUR. / TANTI NOMINIS FAMAM / ARRE ET SAXO PERENNIOREM FATURAM, / CONCIVES NORFOLCIENCES, SUMPTIBUS COLLATIS / COLUMNA EXTRUCTA COMMEMORARE VOLUERUNT. / NATUS MDCCLVIII / MILITIAM OBIIT MDCCLXXI / CENTIES FERE QUINQUAGIES PUGNAM CUM HOSTIBUS COMMISIT / VICTOR, INTER MULTA, ABOUKIRIAE / AUG. MDCCXCVIII. / HAFNIAE APR. MDCCCI. / TRAFALGARIAE OCT. MDCCCV. / QUOD SUPREMUM TOT PRAECLARE GESTORUM FACINUS / PATRIAE FUNESTA, SIBI DULCI ET DECORA / MORTE CONSECRAVIT. //
(TRANSCRIPTION)
HORATIO LORD NELSON / Whom, as his bravest champion, / Britain, whilst he lived, most sedulously honoured; / And, when he fell, bewailed: / With triumphs in every clime, / Distinguished for the vigour of his designs, / Not less than the dauntless warmth of his courage, / The terror of the world. / That Nelson, by birth, lineage, and education, / By mind, by manners, and by disposition, Norfolk proudly boasts her own. / The renown of such a name, than brass or stone, / More lasting, / His Norfolk fellow-countrymen have, By this monument, erected at their joint expense, / Attempted to record. / He was born in the year 1758, / Entered the navy, 1771, / And was in nearly 150 engagements: / He gained, amongst other victories, / That of Aboukir, in August, 1798; / Of Copenhagen, in April, 1801; / Of Trafalgar, in October, 1805; / Which last of his splendid achievements, / He crowned with, his death - / An, event as distressing to his country, as it was / Honourable and welcome to himself. //
(PEDESTAL SOUTH FACE) ABOUKIR / THOMAS SUTTON. / Superintendent / JOHN WALKER. / Master Mason //
(PEDESTAL EAST FACE) ST VINCENT / THE FIRST STONE / OF / THIS MONUMENT / WAS LAID ON THE FIFTEENTH DAY OF AUGUST / MDCCCXVIII / In the Mayoralty of ISAAC PRESTON JUN ESQ / BY / THE HON COL JOHN WODEHOUSE / CHAIRMAN OF THE SUB-COMMITEE APPOINTED TO CARRY THIS WORK / INTO EXECUTION / WILLIAM WILKINS M.A. Architect / Members of the Sub-Committee (NAMES) //
(PEDESTAL NORTH FACE) COPENHAGEN / FRANCIS BRAIDWOOD. Contractor / ARCHIBALD SWINTON. Fore-man //