Collingwood Monument

{{Short description|Monument in Tynemouth, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}} {{Use British English|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox monument |monument_name=Collingwood Monument |image=Collingwood Monument 2.jpg |caption=The memorial in June 2016 |location=Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear, England |coordinates={{coord|55.0148|-1.4201|type:landmark|display=inline,title}} |designer=John Graham Lough and John Dobson |type=Statue |height={{convert|23|ft|m|0}} |dedicated_to=Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron Collingwood |complete=1845 |material=Marble and sandstone |module= {{Designation list | embed = yes | designation1 = Grade II* Listed Building | designation1_offname = Collingwood Monument and guns | designation1_date = 19 February 1986 | designation1_number = {{NHLE|num=1355011|short=yes}} }} }}

The '''Collingwood Monument''' is a Grade II* listed<ref>{{NHLE|num=1355011|desc=Collingwood Monument and guns|grade=II*|access-date=16 September 2020}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=The statue of Admiral Lord Collingwood at Pier Road, Tynemouth.|url=http://www.northumbria.info/Pages/collingwood.html|access-date=1 August 2020|website=Northumbria}}</ref> monument in Tynemouth, England, dedicated to Vice Admiral Lord Cuthbert Collingwood. A Napoleonic-era admiral noted for being second-in-command to Admiral Lord Nelson during the Battle of Trafalgar, Collingwood is sometimes referred to as the forgotten hero of Trafalgar.<ref name="Dickinson">{{Cite news|last=Dickinson|first=Katie|date=8 June 2020|title=The stories behind the statues – who is honoured across the North East|url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/stories-behind-statues-who-honoured-18381568|access-date=1 August 2020|website=The Chronicle}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=17 August 2011|title=HMS Collingwood OA's Introduction page|url=http://hmscollingwoodofficersassociation.co.uk/admiral.php|access-date=1 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110817231647/http://hmscollingwoodofficersassociation.co.uk/admiral.php|archive-date=17 August 2011}}</ref> The monument's base is by John Dobson and the statue is a work of the sculptor John Graham Lough. It is situated just off Front Street in Tynemouth and overlooks the mouth of the River Tyne.<ref name=":0" />

==Background== Lord Collingwood was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, the son of a merchant.<ref>{{Cite web|title=BBC Inside Out – Collingwood|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/northeast/series7/gallery/index.shtml|access-date=1 August 2020|website=BBC}}</ref> He attended the Royal Grammar School<ref>{{Cite web|title=BBC Inside Out – Collingwood|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/northeast/series7/gallery/02.shtml|access-date=1 August 2020|website=BBC}}</ref> and joined the Royal Navy as a volunteer at the age of 12. From there he continued his nautical education under his cousin Captain Richard Brathwaite. After serving in the British Naval Brigade at the Battle of Bunker Hill, Collingwood was commissioned in 1775 as a lieutenant. His first command was HMS Badger, after succeeding Horatio Nelson, and his first major command was HMS Sampson. During the Battle of Trafalgar Collingwood assumed command of the British fleet after the death of Lord Nelson, transferring to HMS Euryalus. Collingwood then led the fleet and completed the battle plans that he and Nelson had created together.<ref name="Dickinson"/> For his role in the battle Collingwood was given the thanks of both houses of Parliament and awarded a pension of £2,000 per annum, as well as being promoted on 9 November 1805 to Vice-Admiral of the Red and raised to the peerage as Baron Collingwood, of Caldburne and Hethpool in the County of Northumberland.<ref>{{Cite web|location=London|work=Gazette|title=Issue 15859|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/15859/page/1376}}</ref>

In 1805 Collingwood was appointed to the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet. After requesting to be relieved of his command the government stated that it urgently required an admiral of his calibre to lead against the dangers of the French and her allies, and that his country could therefore not dispense of him. However, in 1809, his health declined and he was granted leave. In 1810 Collingwood died of cancer on board {{HMS|Ville de Paris}} as he sailed for England.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Adkins|first=Roy|title=Adkins, Roy. Trafalgar, The Biography of a Battle, Abacus|year=2004|pages=238}}</ref> He was laid to rest beside Lord Nelson in St Paul's Cathedral. During his career he had served in the American Revolutionary War, the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars, and had been awarded three Naval Gold Medals, making him one of only three people to share the distinction of earning a total of three.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Vol 12|pages=673}}</ref> alt=|thumb|260x260px|The inscription on the base of the plinth

==The monument== The monument was erected to commemorate Collingwood and his connection to North Shields, and was deliberately positioned so that it could be seen from the Tyne. It was paid for by public subscription. The architect was John Dobson and John Graham Lough was responsible for the sculpture. The monument features a high wide base, with slit openings and a door in the rear. A flight of steps leads to the base of the plinth and side walls flank the steps. Upon the walls are four cannon from HMS ''Royal Sovereign'', Collingwood's flagship during the Battle of Trafalgar. The statue of Collingwood stands upon this plinth, a cloak draped over Collingwood's Royal Navy uniform. The figure's left hand rests on a bollard wrapped in rope.<ref name=":0" />

The monument was completed in 1845 except for the cannons, which were added in 1849.<ref name=":0" />

The inscription on the plinth reads: {| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto" | style="text-align:center; padding: 0.6em;" |THIS MONUMENT

was erected by public subscription to the memory of

<big>'''ADMIRAL''' '''LORD COLLINGWOOD'''</big>

who in the Royal Sovereign on the 21st October 1805 led the British fleet

into action at Trafalgar and sustained the sea fight for upwards of an hour

before the other ships were within gun shot which caused Nelson to exclaim

'SEE HOW THAT NOBLE FELLOW COLLINGWOOD TAKES HIS SHIP INTO ACTION ----He was born at Newcastle upon Tyne 1748 and died in the service

of his country on board of the VILLE DE PARIS on 7 March 1810

AND WAS BURIED IN ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL ----THE FOUR GUNS UPON THIS MONUMENT BELONGED TO HIS SHIP THE

"ROYAL SOVEREIGN" |}

==Gallery== <gallery> File:The Collingwood Monument (28038092774).jpg File:Collingwood Monument (320650752).jpg File:Admiral Collingwood Monument (6725240331).jpg File:Guns on Collingwood Monument, Tynemouth.jpg File:Collingwood Monument 1355011.jpg File:Collingwood Monument (geograph 3136327).jpg File:Collingwood Monument (geograph 2479043).jpg File:The Collingwood Monument.jpg </gallery>

==In popular culture== The monument is the scene of a murder in season 11 of the TV series ''Vera'' (in the episode "Witness").<ref>{{cite web |title=Vera - Series 11 - Episode 1. Witness |url=https://www.itv.com/watch/vera/1a7314/1a7314a0045 |website=ITVX |access-date=21 July 2025}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Battle of Trafalgar Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1845 Category:Grade II* listed buildings in Tyne and Wear Category:Grade II* listed monuments and memorials Category:Monuments and memorials in Tyne and Wear