THE COLUMN. THIS Building, a splendid token of gratitude and esteem, was erected in honour of the Right Honourable ROWLAND LORD HILL, Baron Hill of Almarez in Spain, and of Hawkstone and Hardwick Grange, Shropshire; the Commander in Chief of the British Army; a General in the Army; Governor of Plymouth; and Colonel of the Horse Guards Blue. For the brilliant and various services of the gallant General during the whole of the eventful campaigns with the Allied Armies on the Continent, the following Honorary Orders have been conferred on him, by his Prince and by the Allied Sovereigns of Europe, viz :-Knight of the Grand Cross and Order of the Bath; Knight of the Portuguese Order of the Tower and Sword; Knight of the Austrian Order of Maria Theresa; Knight of the Russian Order of St. George; and Knight of the Belgian Order of Wilhelm. His Lordship had also a Gold Medal presented to him by the Government of Turkey, commemorating the Battles in Egypt. This is the largest GRECIAN DORIC COLUMN in the world. By its interior stair-caze, Visitors may easily ascend its top, whence the views are various and extensive: the Guide is furnished with a good telescope for the use of those who ascend the Column.* 15 0 11 6 .. 2 4 Diameter of the Column at the Plinth Width of the Flutings at bottom The Pedestal is square, with a Pier or Buttress at each angle, on which are placed Lions couchant, worked of Grinshill stone (the same as the Column) by Mr. CARLINE, of Shrewsbury. The Colossal Statue of his Lordship was designed, and executed by Messrs. COADE and SEALY, of London, in their artificial stone; modelled by PANZETTA. In the North, East, and South sides of the Pedestal are TABLETS, on which are inserted the following INSCRIPTIONS : and the reader will find in subsequent pages ample and authentic accounts of each Battle, illustrative of these inscriptions: * The OBELISK erected at Lilleshall, near Newport, by the tenantry of his Grace the Duke of Sutherland, is visible when the atmosphere is clear. ON THE NORTH SIDE. TO LIEUTENANT-GENERAL ROWLAND LORD HILL, BARON HILL OF ALMAREZ AND HAWKSTONE, G, C. B. NOT MORE DISTINGUISHED FOR HIS SKILL AND IN COURAGE IN THE FIELD, DURING THE ARDUOUS CAMPAIGNS IN SPAIN AND PORTUGAL, THE SOUTH OF FRANCE, AND THE MEMORABLE PLAINS OF WATERLO0, THAN FOR HIS BENEVOLENT AND PATERNAL CARE PROVIDING THE NECESSITIES OF HIS VICTORIOUS COUNTRYMEN, AND FOR THAT HUMANITY AND GENEROSITY WHICH THEIR VANQUISHED FOES EXPE RIENCED AND ACKNOWLEDGED: THE INHABITANTS OF THE TOWN AND COUNTY OF SALOP HAVE ERECTED THIS COLUMN AND STATUE, AS A MEMORIAL OF THEIR RESPECT AND GRATITUDE, TO AN ILLUSTRIOUS CONTEMPORARY, AND AN INCITEMENT ΤΟ EMULATION IN THE HEROES AND PATRIOTS OF FUTURE AGES. ON THE SOUTH SIDE. CIVI SVO ROLANDO DOMINO BARONI HILL, AB. ALMAREZ ET HAWKSTONE POPVLARES. EIVS. EX. AGRO. ATQVE. MVNICIPIO. SALOPIENSI. COLVMNAM. HANCCE. CVM. STATUA. P. C. A. S. MDCCCXVI. IS IN. RE. MILITARI, QVEMADMODVM. SE. GESSERIT TESTES. SINT. LVSITANIA. HISPANIA.. GALLIAE. NARBONENSIS, AC. BELGICA ARTVRIVS. ET. QVIDEM. HOSTIVM. EXERCITVS. The foregoing is Translated as follows : "To their Countryman, ROWLAND LORD HILL, "His Neighbours in the County and Town of Shrewsbury, have " erected this Column and Statue, A. D. 1816. "To his Military Prowess let PORTUGAL, SPAIN, the South of "FRANCE, the NETHERLANDS, the DUKE of WELLINGTON, the "ARMIES of the ALLIES, and even those of the ENEMY, bear "witness." In the month of December, 1813, a paragraph appeared in the Shrewsbury Chronicle, by the (editor of that paper, suggesting to his townsmen (instead of following the example of London and other places by Illuminations) the propriety of commemorating the stupendous events which had taken place upon the Continent, and also the achievements of their illustrious countryman, Lord Hill. A column, with an inscription, to be erected in the fine walk, the Quarry, was proposed as a suitable memorial. The hint seemed to meet with approbation from all classes; and in the News-Room on the next day, about £400 was subscribed in small sums, besides which, a considerable * In commemoration of the above Battles, his Lordship was presented with a Gold Cross and Clasps from the Government of Spain. number of individuals set down their names without affixing any sum: intending to proportion their subscriptions to the magnitude of the erection, when decided upon. A Townmeeting was called, and a new Market Place, with a Triumphal Arch, in honour of his Lordship, was deemed eligible; but this resolution was afterwards rescinded, and it was finally determined that the present Grecian Doric Column should be erected in the east end of the Abbey-Foregate. The magnitude of this grateful tribute to public talent and private worth, will best appear on its being compared with the most remarkable structures of a similar kind. The Monument in London is 15 feet in diameter, Lord Nelson's Column at Dublin 13 feet, and the height of the shaft and capital about 77 feet. The column erected by Bonaparte at Paris, is 14 feet in diameter, and 120 in height; so that Lord Hill's column is equal in diameter to the Monument; two feet more than Lord Nelson's, and, exclusive of the pedestal, 13 feet higher. It exceeds the diameter of the Paris column one foot; and, it is presumed, is the largest Doric Column ever erected. The original design was by Mr. Haycock, with some alterations by the late Mr. Harrison, of Chester. The first Stone of the Foundation was laid in MASONIC Order by the SALOPIAN LODGE of Free Masons, assisted by Deputies from adjoining Lodges, on the 27th day of December, A. D. 1814, A. L. 5814, being the Festival of St. John the Evangelist. Within a cavity of the Foundation-stone, (which weighed four tons and a half) a Bottle was deposited, containing Gold and Silver Coins of George III, accompanied with a Copy of the SHREWSBURY CHRONICLE of the preceding Friday, in which was announced the ceremony, &c. &c. Richard l'hillips, Esq. (then Mayor of the Town), with the usual ceremony, presented the plans to Mr. Straphen (then principal assistant to the Contractors), who completed the Column, and afterwards designed and erected the Staircase A 2 |