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All the United Kingdom England Wellington Wellington Somerset Monument

Wellington Somerset Monument

Standing atop Wellington Hill is the world's tallest three-sided obelisk.

Wellington, England

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bethany1998037
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Wellington Somerset Monument   bethany1998037 / Atlas Obscura User
Wellington Somerset Monument   bethany1998037 / Atlas Obscura User
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About

The world's tallest three-sided obelisk, set in the stunning Blackdown Hills region, is a sight of outstanding beauty.

The obelisk was erected to honor the Duke of Wellington and his victory at the Battle of Waterloo. However, the man himself would never see the completed monument. 

The sight had original plans to include 24 cannons captured from the French army during the battle. In 1818, 16 cannons were brought to Exeter for the monument. However, the cannons never made it, 10 were sunk into Exeter Quay as bollards, one was sold to pay for the storage of the original 16, and the remaining four were found to be navel cannons from Scotland never used in the battle. Only one cannon can be seen at the monument, but hails from an unknown location. 

Following the £3.1 million restoration project completed in 2021, visitors are now able to climb to the top once more.

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Monuments War Memorial

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Bring a coat. There is a car park located a mile from the monument. 

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Added By

bethany1998037

Edited By

jongilling

  • jongilling

Published

February 15, 2020

Updated

June 26, 2023

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  • nationaltrust.org.uk/wellington-monument
Wellington Somerset Monument
Wellington, England, TA21 9PA
United Kingdom
50.948054, -3.229312
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