DR Johnson's Monument, Denbigh, Denbighshire

Coordinates

Latitude: 53.1723 / 53°10'20"N

Longitude: -3.4512 / 3°27'4"W

OS Eastings: 303093

OS Northings: 364895

OS Grid: SJ030648

Mapcode National: GBR 6L.4257

Mapcode Global: WH65W.YJQD

Plus Code: 9C5R5GCX+WG

Entry Name: DR Johnson's Monument

Listing Date: 24 October 1950

Last Amended: 20 July 2000

Grade: II

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 1059

Building Class: Commemorative

ID on this website: 300001059

Location: Located on the N bank of the river Ystrad in fields approximately 0.5km S of Gwaenynog; accessed via a footpath which approaches from the E.

County: Denbighshire

Community: Denbigh (Dinbych)

Community: Denbigh

Locality: Gwaenynog

Traditional County: Denbighshire

Tagged with: Monument

Find accommodation in
Gwaynynog

History

Dr Johnson's monument was erected c1775 by Colonel John Myddleton of Gwaenanog to commemorate a visit made to the house by Samuel Johnson in the company of Mrs Thrale in 1774. Johnson was unimpressed by his erstwhile host's sycophancy and is said to have remarked 'it looks like an intention to bury me alive!' The monument was restored in 1975.

Exterior

Classical commemorative monument set within a railed enclosure some 2.2m square. The monument is of sandstone (with some evidence of formerly having been painted to imitate marble), and consists of a tall Grecian urn set on a square pedestal, reaching an overall height of approximately 3m. The pedestal has inset white marble plaques on 2 sides, one inscribed "Samuel Johnson LLD/obiit XIII die Decembris/Anno domini MDCCLXXXIV/astatis LXXV", and the other "This spot was often dignified by the presence of Samuel Johnson LLD, whose moral writings exactly conformable to the precepts of Christianity give ardour to virtue and confidence to truth."

Reasons for Listing

Listed for its special interest as a 1770s monument associated with Dr Johnson, the famous moralist and man of letters, and erected in his lifetime.

External Links

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

Other nearby listed buildings

II* Gwaenynog
Located approximately 1km SW of Denbigh within its own park, set back to the S of the road and accessed via its own drive.
II Garden Walls at Gwaenynog, including MR Macgregor's Potting Shed
Located a short distance to the N of the house.
II Efail-Gwaenynog
At right-angles to the road, approximately 700m NW of Gwaenynog.
II Primary Barn at Segrwyd
Located immediately to the SW of the house.
II Segrwyd
Set within its own grounds to the SE of the road from Denbigh to Nantglyn; accessed via a lodged drive.
II Plas Captain
Located at the southern boundary of the community to the W of the road running SW from Pont Lawnt towards Peniel; accessed via a farm track running down from the road; set against the hillslope facing
II Pont Lawnt
Spanning the river Ystrad approximately 0.5km W of the former Denbigh mental hospital.
II Galch Hill
Located on an elevated site overlooking Denbigh approximately 750m to the E; accessed via a drive running S from the road and set back behind a low rubble-walled forecourt.

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History in Structure

DR Johnson's Monument

A Grade II Listed Building in Denbigh, Denbighshire