The Equestrian Monument to the Duke of Wellington

Submit a new image

Reference WMO/147599

Address:

Royal Exchange Square

Queen Street

Glasgow

G1 3AH

Scotland

Open large map
Edit memorial name, location & address
Status: On original site
Type: Freestanding
Location: External
Setting: Roadside
Description: Serviceman/woman sculpture
Materials:
  • Metal Bronze
  • Stone Granite
Lettering: Incised
Conflicts:
  • Revolutionary/Napoleonic (1792-1815)
About the memorial: This is a bronze equestrian statue on a Peterhead granite pedestal to one of Britain’s greatest heroes. The monument is located in front of the portico of the Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art in Royal Exchange Square, the statue faces East across Queen Street towards Ingram Street, with which it is axially aligned. The subject is seated on his Arab stallion ‘Copenhagen’. Wellington is dressed in the full uniform of a Field Marshall, right hand on his hip, chest expanded and his head turned slightly to the right. His posture is intended to suggest a general reviewing his troops; the charger is shown standing with fore feet a little in advance in an easy posture, the reins lying slack The statue was sculpted by Baron Carlo Marochetti and was inaugurated 8th October 1844. The foundry for the bronze of the Great Duke was Soyer and the reliefs were cast by de Braux. The dimensions are as follows; the horse and rider are approximately 3.6 metres high, the pedestal is 2.6 metres high. The two end panels are 61 cm X 1.16 metres, the two side panels are 61 cm x 2.7 metres.Born in Dublin in 1769, Arthur Wellesley became one of Britain’s greatest military leaders. He distinguished himself in campaigns in India from 1797 and his victory over the Marathas at Assaye in 1803 enabled Britain to negotiate a lasting peace in India. Wellesley was awarded the title Duke of Wellington after expelling French troops from Spain in 1814. His greatest victory came in 1815 when his army defeated Napoleon at Waterloo, which effectively brought the Napoleonic Wars to a close. From 1818 Wellington played a leading role in British political life, eventually becoming Prime Minister in 1827. Wellington is famous for his support for Catholic emancipation. He died in 1852 and was buried with great pomp in St Paul’s Cathedral. The Glasgow monument was commissioned and built in his lifetime though public subscription and Marochetti’s piece is regarded as a touchstone of excellence of equestrian statues. It remains one of the most fondly regarded works of public art in Glasgow. The pedestal is decorated with magnificent bronze pulvinated friezes on the cornice and base and has four elaborate narrative relief panels on the dado illustrating events in the Duke’s career. Working clockwise from the North panel, the subjects depicted are as follows; The Battle of Assaye, The Soldier’s Return, The Battle of Waterloo, The Blessings of Peace.
Edit memorial details
Report a concern with this memorial
Report a duplicate memorial record
Report an inappropriate record
Submit a condition update
Report this condition update

View more details
Report this condition update

View more details

Grants to support the repair and conservation of war memorials are available from the charity War Memorials Trust if it has raised funds. Support is focused on war memorials in Very bad or Poor condition or where there is a serious Concern.

Before applying for a grant you should read the advice available on War Memorials Trust`s website. The What we can and cannot fund helpsheet explains what types of work the charity can fund.

If you believe your project is eligible for a grant you should complete the Pre-application enquiry form. You will need to be registered and logged in to complete this.

The Pre-application enquiry form is a series of questions to see if your project is eligible. If it is, you will need to provide further details and submit current colour photographs of the war memorial in either a png, gif, jpg or jpeg format.

You can save your Pre-application enquiry form as you go along. Once submitted War Memorials Trust will respond.

Please be aware that a summary of your enquiry, without your contact details, will appear on this page once submitted. This ensures others are aware that an enquiry has been made and can read the response to avoid duplicate enquiries. Information provided by you to us will be used for the purpose of managing the grant enquiry, for further details please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy .

pre-application

As a charity, War Memorials Trust relies on voluntary donations and every contribution, no matter how large or small, makes a really big difference to our work. Your donation will help protect and conserve war memorials for future generations so please support War Memorials Trust’s work.

donate here
Suggest information

Information Required

Information Required

Information Required

Information Required

Information Required

Claim Custodianship

Information Required

Information Required