The Westminster Scholars War Memorial, also known as the Crimea and Indian Mutiny Memorial, is an 1861 memorial in London. It commemorates 19 former pupils of
Westminster School
(God Gives the Increase)
, established = Earliest records date from the 14th century, refounded in 1560
, type = Public school Independent day and boarding school
, religion = Church of England
, head_label = Hea ...
who died in two wars: ten in the
Crimean War
The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia.
Geopolitical causes of the war included the ...
of 1854–56, and nine in the
Indian Mutiny of 1857–58. It was designed in
High Victorian Gothic
High Victorian Gothic was an eclectic architectural style and movement during the mid-late 19th century. It is seen by architectural historians as either a sub-style of the broader Gothic Revival style, or a separate style in its own right.
Promo ...
style by
George Gilbert Scott, who was
Surveyor of the Fabric of Westminster Abbey
The post of Surveyor of the Fabric of Westminster Abbey was established in 1698. The role is an architectural one, with the current holder being responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the Abbey and its buildings. In the past, the role has i ...
from 1849 to 1878.
The memorial is installed on a triangular plot outside the west entrance to
Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the Unite ...
, and north of the gatehouse leading to
Dean's Yard
Dean's Yard, Westminster, comprises most of the remaining precincts of the historically greater scope of the monastery or abbey of Westminster, not occupied by its buildings. It is known to members of Westminster School as Green (referred to ...
. It stands near where Broad Sanctuary to the north becomes
Victoria Street to the west, with a short road The Sanctuary running to the south and east.
It became 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 ...
in 1958. Westminster Abbey and the Dean's Yard gatehouse (also designed by Scott in Gothic style, and constructed in 1853–54) are each separately listed, at Grade I and Grade II respectively. Westminster School is still based in the Abbey's precincts.
Description
The memorial comprises a tall pink
Peterhead
Peterhead (; gd, Ceann Phàdraig, sco, Peterheid ) is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is Aberdeenshire's biggest settlement (the city of Aberdeen itself not being a part of the district), with a population of 18,537 at the 2011 Census. ...
granite pillar, carved with a ring of blank shields about half way up, topped by a
Portland stone capital and statues. The statue atop the column was carved by
J. R. Clayton and depict
St George slaying the dragon, below which is a lantern tier with four Gothic niches, housing statues of
St Edward the Confessor (facing east),
Henry III (west),
Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is ...
(south) and
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...
(north), all carved by
J. Birnie Philip, above a highly decorated floral capital. The pillar stands on a stone base with four granite pilasters, each topped by a stone statue of a lion, resting on three octagonal steps, ringed by iron railings. The base stands about high, with the column and statues another on top.
Inscriptions
An inscription on the memorial's north side reads:
Its south side displays the text:
An inscription on its west side reads:
The opposite (east) side's inscription says:
See also
*
1861 in art
References
Crimean War and Indian Mutiny Memorial National Heritage List for England, Historic England
Westminster School – Crimea and Indian Mutiny Memorial War Memorials Register, Imperial War Museums
Westminster Scholars Memorial War Memorials Online
External links
The Westminster Column – Westminster (London, UK)at Waymarking
Westminster Scholars Memorial – The Sanctuary, Westminster, London, UKat Waymarking
{{coord, 51.49951, -0.12915, format=dms, type:landmark_region:GB, display=title
1861 establishments in England
1861 sculptures
Grade II listed buildings in the City of Westminster
Grade II listed statues in the City of Westminster
Monuments and memorials in London
Outdoor sculptures in London
Sculptures of lions