# Ponsonby's Column

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**Ponsonby's Column**, also known as **Ponsonby's Cenotaph**,[1] was a [monumental column](/source/Monumental_column) in [Valletta](/source/Valletta), [Malta](/source/Malta). It was built in 1838 as a memorial to [Major-General](/source/Major-General_(United_Kingdom)) [Sir Frederick Ponsonby](/source/Frederick_Ponsonby_(British_Army_officer)), a former [Governor of Malta](/source/Governor_of_Malta), but it was destroyed by [lightning](/source/Lightning) in 1864. Its plinth survived, and is now located near [Hastings Gardens](/source/Hastings_Gardens).[2]

## History

[Major-General](/source/Major-General_(United_Kingdom)) [Sir Frederick Ponsonby](/source/Frederick_Ponsonby_(British_Army_officer)), an [Anglo-Irish](/source/Anglo-Irish_people) aristocrat, was appointed [Governor of Malta](/source/List_of_Governors_of_Malta) on 15 February 1827. While Ponsonby was in England in 1836, he resigned from the post of Governor, and died suddenly on 11 January of the following year.[3][4][5]

In 1838, a [column](/source/Cenotaph) was built in honour of the dead Governor on [St. Andrew's Bastion](/source/Fortifications_of_Valletta#Marsamxett_enceinte), overlooking [Marsamxett Harbour](/source/Marsamxett_Harbour).[3][4] Its architect is not known, but it could have been designed by [Giorgio Pullicino](/source/Giorgio_Pullicino).[6] The monument consisted of a 70-foot-high [Doric column](/source/Doric_order) on a plinth,[4] surmounted by an urn.[3] The main inscription read:[3][5]

FREDERICO CAVENDISH PONSONBY

MELITAE AN. IX. PRAEFECTO CIVIUM AMOR MDCCCXXXVIII

In January 1864, the column was struck by lightning,[4] and it was subsequently demolished.[3][5] The plinth remained intact, but in November 1888 it was removed from St. Andrew's Bastion to make way for new gun emplacements on the bastion. The plinth was reassembled near [Hastings Gardens](/source/Hastings_Gardens) on [St. Michael's Bastion](/source/Fortifications_of_Valletta#Land_front), and the following inscription was added:[3][5]

THE COLUMN 70 FEET HIGH ERECTED ON THIS BASE

TO THE MEMORY OF SIR FREDERICK PONSONBY WAS DESTROYED BY LIGHTNING IN JANUARY 1864

The plinth was damaged by shrapnel during aerial bombardment in [World War II](/source/World_War_II). It was restored a number of times over the years, most recently in 2013 under the sponsorship of the [Bank of Valletta](/source/Bank_of_Valletta).[6] The plinth is listed as a Grade 1 national monument by [MEPA](/source/Malta_Environment_and_Planning_Authority).[7]

## See also

- [Spencer Monument](/source/Spencer_Monument)

## References

1. ["Exploring Valletta's treasures"](https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110529/books/Exploring-Valletta-s-treasures.368022). *Timesofmalta.com*. 29 May 2011. Retrieved 27 December 2017.

1. [Cassar, M. (2018, December 9). Every picture tells a story (1): Marsamxett in the 1850s. The Sunday Times of Malta, pp. 59.](https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/bitstream/123456789/52346/1/Every_picture_tells_a_story.pdf)

1. Simpson, Donald H. (1958). ["Some public monuments of Valletta 1800–1955"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160416152527/http://melitensiawth.com/incoming/Index/Melita%20Historica/MH.02(1956-59)/MH.2(1958)3/orig03.pdf). *Melita Historica*. **2** (3): 156–157. Archived from [the original](http://melitensiawth.com/incoming/Index/Melita%20Historica/MH.02(1956-59)/MH.2(1958)3/orig03.pdf) on April 16, 2016.

1. Z., T. (1928). ["Il-Belt (Valletta)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160417234107/http://melitensiawth.com/incoming/Index/Il-Malti/Il-Malti.%20004(1928)2/01.pdf) (in mt). *Il-Malti*. **2** (1): 34–35. 2 ed. Il-Ghaqda tal-Kittieba tal-Malti. Archived from [the original](http://melitensiawth.com/incoming/Index/Il-Malti/Il-Malti.%20004(1928)2/01.pdf) on 17 April 2016.

1. Guillaumier, Alfie (2005). *Bliet u Rħula Maltin*. Klabb Kotba Maltin. p. 1068. ISBN 99932-39-40-2.

1. Said, Edward (26 January 2014). ["The lost landmarks of Malta: Ponsonby's Column"](http://axv.com.mt/literature/lost-landmarks-of-malta/). *Architecture XV*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180706155755/http://axv.com.mt/literature/lost-landmarks-of-malta/) 6 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine.

1. ["One World - Protecting the most significant buildings, monuments and features of Valletta (32) - Ponsomby's Column"](http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080802/opinion/one-world-protecting-the-most-significant-buildings-monuments-and.219160). *[Times of Malta](/source/Times_of_Malta)*. 2 August 2008. Retrieved 4 September 2015.

## External links

- ["Lost Landmarks of Malta - Ponsonby's Column"](http://www.axv.com.mt/literature/lost-landmarks-of-malta/). *Axv.com.mt*. 7 April 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2017.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ponsonby's Column](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponsonby's_Column) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponsonby's_Column?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.