History

Commemorative column, begun in 1853, soon after the death of the Duke of Wellington, and completed by 1858; raised by public subscription organised by Col W E Richardes of Bryneithin. Originally intended to hold a statue of Wellington on top. The monument was fully restored in 1999, following a lightning strike in 1997, with a replacement rounded slate surround at its top specially made at Blaenau Ffestiniog.

Arthur Wellesley, First Duke of Wellington (1769-1852) was the outstanding British military commander of the Napoleonic Wars and the victor at the battle of Waterloo, and subsequently Prime Minister. Born to Anglo-Irish aristocracy and educated at Eton and the French Royal Academy of Equitation in Angers, Wellesley joined the British Army aged 18. He first saw action in the disastrous Flanders campaign against Revolutionary France in 1793-4. From 1797 to 1805 Wellesley was stationed in India where he fought wars against the Kingdom of Mysore and the Maratha Empire to expand the area controlled by the British East India Company. He became a Tory MP in 1806 and again in 1807 before re-joining the Army. From 1808 onwards he rose to prominence in the Peninsular War in Portugal and Spain against Napoleonic France. He was made the Duke of Wellington in 1814 and in 1815 commanded the final allied victory against Napoleon at Waterloo. He returned to politics and became Prime Minister twice. As a diplomat he encouraged other European powers to repress the international slave trade, though he supported the West India interest that was dependent upon continuing use of enslaved labour. He supported Catholic emancipation while opposing the same for Jews. His government collapsed in 1830 due to its opposition to Parliamentary reform and expanding voting rights. He acted as a caretaker Prime Minister again for three weeks in 1834.

Exterior

Monument to first Duke of Wellington in the form of an 18 metre high upturned cannon or industrial style chimney. Local coursed rubble, tapered to the top and stepped out at the base; swept out funnel. Concrete platform, and modern commemorative plaque added in 1999. The shale/slate pediment around the lower part of the monument is inscribed with copious historic, and recent, graffiti.

Reasons for Listing

Listed for special architectural interest as a conspicuous historical landmark on the summit of Pen Dinas, and for its special historic interest commemorating a highly significant figure of the British state in the early nineteenth century.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata IDs Q24662510 Q29489050

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.

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