The Original Nelson's Column

October 2018 / By Jetson

Nelson Horatio's iconic statue that sits atop Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square is well known to all here in the UK as it is to the many millions of tourists that have visited the monument over the years. And there have been a lot as the statue has been in place since 1843. It stands proudly, flanked by four large sculpted lions, at just over 169 feet and looks out over Trafalgar Square down towards the river Thames. Having stood there for over 150 years, in 2006 a refurbishment program was undertaken at a cost of just under half a million pounds to bring the monument back looking like it's former self. The refurbishment cost was met by the insurance company Zurich who used frontage of the scaffolded monument as an advertising space. 

The older ones in us may remember the epic climb of the monument in 1977 by the very brave and somewhat unprepared John Noakes which had us all watching with our hearts in our mouths. Since then the monument has been climbed several other times for publicity stuns and TV programs.

Bridgetown Statue

The iconic monument is now part of British culture and heritage, celebrating Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, arguably one of the greatest naval leaders and tacticians of his time. However, it is not the original monument to this celebrated sea farer.

In fact some 30 years before the Trafalgar Square statue was completed, in Bridgetown in Barbados, where Broad Street meets National Heroes Square, was erected a similar homage to Nelson, be it far smaller and in a slightly different pose and attire. The Bridgetown statue went up in 1813, in a part of the world that was very well known to Nelson. The original Nelson's column.

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