P  o  r  t  c  h  e  s  t  e  r
M  o  n  u  m  e  n  t



Sat high up on the downs overlooking the naval city of Portsmouth stands the Portchester Monument. This obelisk like structure was erected in 1807 in honour of Lord Nelson, whose name will always be linked to the city, due in part to the fact that his flagship the Victory has its home there.

Rather Ugly
The 120 foot high stone structure was designed by John Groves, and dare I say it, but I think it`s a rather ugly affair that lacks the usual, graceful beauty that I would normally see with an obelisk. My main dislike is the panel which has been let into the north and south faces running upwards the entire length. This giving the impression of a modern piece of work, rather than something approaching its 200th anniversary.
One hopes Lord Nelson did not have a fear of heights, as once again like Nelson`s column in London, we find him perched high on the top, although in this case it consists of a bust set into an arch.

The Axum Obelisk
I was contacted by a visitor to the site, who pointed out that the monument bears a strong resemblance to an obelisk that stands at Axum in modern day Ethiopia. The Portsdown monument was erected in 1807, just two years after a British expedition to Ethiopia. This included a draughtsman - Henry Salt - who prepared drawings of the obelisk site in Axum.
Whether the architect of the Portsdown monument - John Thomas Groves - ever met Salt, or saw his sketches I do not know, but would hazard a guess that the Axum obelisks may have been an influence.
Another of Axum obelisks (pictured above) is currently awaiting shipment back to Ethiopia from Italy, where it was taken as a souvenir by the army of a certain Italian dictator during WW2.
This of course is a story that has been repeated many times in history, as it is a fine line between looting, and the spoils of war. It has been said that were it not for the Emperor Napoleon and his marauding armies, the Louvre in Paris would no doubt be half empty!
On issues closer to home it must be remembered of course, that Lord Elgin only ever 'rescued' the eponymous 'marbles', for restoration purposes.


Visiting:-

Access to the monument is easy as it lies at the junction of several lanes, a couple of hundred yards to the east of Fort Nelson, one of several Napoleonic forts to be found in the area.
























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