S t o w e  G a r d e n s

T h e  G r e n v i l l e  C o l u m n

The Grenville Monument is a Doric column and it stands a short distance from the Temple of Ancient Virtue, on the Western bank of the Elysian Fields. It was built in 1747 by Lord Cobham and it first stood in the Grecian Valley. It was moved here some years later in 1756. Built in honour and memory of Thomas Grenville, a younger brother of Earl Temple, Thomas was the captain of the ship HMS Defiance. He was killed in action aboard his ship against a French Frigate, on the 3rd of May in 1747. The column is rostral, (being Naval), and is decorated with sculpted prows of ships and anchors to emphasise the Naval connection.

The statue atop the column is of Clio, the muse of heroic poetry and history as believed in Greek Mythology. She is also referred to as the Proclaimer. In her hands she is holding a scroll that reads as follows:

Non Nisi Grandia Canto. "none but heroic deeds I sing."

It is reported in a guidebook to Stowe that a statue of Neptune once stood at the top of the column, and in his hands he held a splinter of Thomas's Grenville's ship, the Defiance. It is believed that Captain Grenville was killed by such a splinter during the battle with the Frigate, that it pierced his leg in several places, perhaps from a direct hit to his ship from a cannonball. His leg was quickly amputated by the ship's surgeon, but he unfortunately died from loss of blood a few hours later.

Evidence of this can be found inscribed on the monument. The guidebook translates it from Latin as follows:

To his nephew Thomas Grenville, Captain of a ship of war in the British fleet under Admiral George Anson, in an engagement with the French, being mortally wounded in the thigh by a fragment of his shattered ship, expiring he did say, "How much better it is, thus to die than be suspected of cowardice to fear justice." and: This naval column was erected as a monument to his applause and grief by LORD COBHAM. From this animating but, alas, too rare example learn, when honoured with command, what becomes of an officer. 1747

The reference to "being suspected of cowardice", could refer to a court martial of another Naval Officer, who Grenville may have been acquainted, just days before he was killed, who was tried for the crime of Cowardice.

Lord Cobham died two years afterwards in 1749.

Below: The Proclaimer, Clio and her scroll.

Below: The Temple of Ancient Virtue and the Grenville Column. Notice how the Column is in direct line with the door of the Temple of Ancient Virtue, and in line of sight of the statue of Epaminondas, the General of the Ancient World. The column is also in direct line with Captain Cook's Globe monument in the Elysian Fields.

Below: The path winds on North towards the Grotto.

 

 

 

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