Admiral Hood Monument

The Admiral Hood Monument is a memorial column to Sir Samuel Hood on a hill near Butleigh in the parish of Compton Dundon, Somerset, England. It was completed in 1831 to a design by Henry Goodridge.

Description


The monument is a 110 ft Tuscan column on a cuboid ashlar base set on two tall steps, the lower supporting a wrought iron railing enclosure. The proportions of the monument were based on those of Trajan's column in Rome. There was originally a doorway in the base, but this was sealed in 1990. The monument culminates in a band of laurel wreaths beneath a naval crown, composed of the sculpted sterns of four galleons interspersed with four mainsails. It was carved by Gahagan of Bath.

The monument was paid for by public subscription and designed by the architect Henry Goodridge. It was originally linked to the Hood family home at Butleigh by a mile long avenue of cedar trees. The inscription was composed by Sir James Mackintosh and reads as follows:

On the north face:

IN MEMORY OF SIR SAMUEL HOOD BARONET KNIGHT OF THE MOST HONOURABLE ORDER OF THE BATH AND NOMINATED GRAND CROSS THEREOF KNIGHT OF St FERDINAND AND OF MERIT KNIGHT GRAND CROSS OF THE SWORD VICE ADMIRAL OF THE WHITE AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF HIS MAJESTY'S FLEET IN THE EAST INDIES

On the west face:

AN OFFICER OF THE HIGHEST DISTINCTION AMONGST THE ILLUSTRIOUS MEN WHO RENDERED THEIR OWN AGE THE BRIGHTEST PERIOD IN THE NAVAL HISTORY OF THEIR COUNTRY

On the south face:

THIS MONUMENT IS DEDICATED TO THEIR LATE COMMANDER BY THE ATTACHMWNT AND REVERENCE OF BRITISH OFFICERS OF WHOM MANY WERE HIS ADMIRING FOLLOWERS IN THOSE AWFUL SCENES OF WAR IN WHICH WHILE THEY CALL FORTH THE GRANDEST QUALITIES OF HUMAN NATURE IN HIM LIKEWISE GAVE OCCASION FOR THE EXERCISE OF ITS MOST AMIABLE VIRTUES HE DIED AT MADRAS DECEMBER 24th 1814

It was designated as a grade II* listed building in 1958.