The Camphill Column in

Alnwick Alnwick ( ) is a market town in Northumberland, England, of which it is the traditional county town. The population at the 2011 Census was 8,116. The town is on the south bank of the River Aln, south of Berwick-upon-Tweed and the Scottish bor ...

Northumberland Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey. It is bordered by land on ...

, is a stone column erected in 1814, celebrating a number of British victories over the French and others, and the restoration of peace to Europe. It carries inscriptions to Pitt,

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...

Nelson Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...

and its progenitor,

Henry Collingwood Selby Henry Collingwood Selby was the 11th Queen's Advocate of Ceylon. He was appointed on 23 June 1848, succeeding Arthur William Buller, and held the office until 1858. He was succeeded by Henry Byerley Thomson. References

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. The column is a Grade II*

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

The column

Camp Hill is a site described as dating back to the time of the ancient Britons; an oval shape now much degraded and measuring some 120 yards by 104 yards. The hill is alternately described as the site of an army camp. The column at Camp Hill was commissioned by Henry Collingwood Selby and constructed by John Hall, mason. It was situated in the grounds of Selby's estate, Swansfied Park. It is suggested that Selby "was a keen defender of the status quo against those locally who were sympathetic to the principles of the

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...

." The column is described as being "executed after Vetruvius' plan". The column stands on two large square steps, and is surmounted by a stone ball. The Public Monument and Sculpture Association description of the column is "Small Tuscan column surmounted by a platform with a small

pedestal A pedestal (from French ''piédestal'', Italian ''piedistallo'' 'foot of a stall') or plinth is a support at the bottom of a statue, vase, column, or certain altars. Smaller pedestals, especially if round in shape, may be called socles. In ci ...

and ball

finial A finial (from '' la, finis'', end) or hip-knob is an element marking the top or end of some object, often formed to be a decorative feature. In architecture, it is a small decorative device, employed to emphasize the Apex (geometry), apex of a d ...

on top. It stands in a copse on the damaged remains of an oval

univallate hillfort A hillfort is a type of earthwork used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze Age or Iron Age. Some were used in the post-Roma ...

in the middle of what is now a golf course." On the square tablets of the east, south, west, and north sides are the following inscriptions: :''England has saved herself by her firmness, and Europe by her example. – Pitt'' :''This Pillar was erected by HENRY COLLINGWOOD SELBY, a Magistrate of this County, to commemorate the persevering and victorious efforts of the British Empire by sea and land during an arduous struggle of XX years, and the signal successes of the Powers united with this Country at the close of that eventful period; the expulsion of the French from Russia after the burning of Moscow in MDCCCXII, the defeats of their armies in Germany in the memorable campaign of MDCCCXIII, the invasion of France, the surrender of Paris, the downfall of Napoleon Buonaparte, the re-establishment of the Bourbon monarchs, and the restoration of Peace to Europe in MDCCCXIV.'' :''Vice-Admiral HORATIO VISCOUNT NELSON of the Nile defeated the French and Danish Fleets at Aboukir and Copenhagen, and fell in the decisive victory of Trafalgar achieved over the combined Navies of France and Spain in MDCCCV.'' :''Field Marshal THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON having vanquished the Armies of France in Portugal and in Spain, at the Battles of Vimeira and Talavera, Salamanca and Vittoria, drove them beyond the Pyrenuces, and advancing to the banks of the Garonne again overthrew them under the walls of Toulouse in Mdcccxiv.'' :''The Right Honourable WILLIAM PITT directed the councils and energies of his country during the first years of a just and necessary war, and died in MDCCCVI, having established that wise and vigorous system of policy, which succeeding statesmen, emulous of his example, steadily pursued till they secured Independence for the Nations of the Continent and a Peace of unparalleled glory for this empire.'' The column was listed in August 1977, and survived the demolition of Selby's seat, Swansfield House, in 1975, and now stands within the grounds of Alnwick Golf Club.

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The column

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