Sir Bevil Grenville's Monument

Sir Bevil Grenville’s Monument stands on Lansdown Hill, a low rise about six and a half kilometres north-west of Bath in Somerset. It is built of ashlar stone in the English Baroque style and reaches about seven and a half metres. The hill was once called Lansdowne Hill and the parish is Charlcombe. In 1950 the monument was given scheduled monument status and in 1956 it became a Grade II* listed building. The monument honours Sir Bevil Grenville, a Royalist commander from Cornwall who died in the Civil War. On 5 July 1643 he led Cornish pikemen against Parliamentarian forces on the hill. Grenville was mortally wounded in hand-to-hand fighting and died soon after at Cold Ashton rectory. His grandson George Granville, later Baron Lansdowne, erected the stone in 1720. Descendants have paid for repairs in 1777, 1828 and 1879. Visitors find a tall ashlar column topped by a griffin holding the Grenville coat of arms. On one side a slate tablet quotes Lord Clarendon’s account of the battle. On another side two poems are carved and the Royal Arms of Charles II appear with those of Grenville’s son and General George Monck. The Elegy by William Cartwright is also inscribed on the base. The hilltop setting gives wide views over the surrounding countryside.