| Marquess of Anglesey's Column | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Monument |
| Location | Anglesey, Wales |
| Coordinates | 53°13′15″N 4°11′48″W / 53.2208°N 4.1967°W |
| OS grid reference | SH 5343 7156 |
| Built | 1817 |
Listed Building – Grade II* | |
| Official name | Anglesey Column |
| Designated | 5 February 1952 |
| Reference no. | 5432 |
| Community | Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll |
  Location of Marquess of Anglesey's Column in Anglesey | |
The Marquess of Anglesey's Column (also known as Anglesey Column or by the Welsh name Tŵr Marcwis) is a Doric column near the Menai Strait in Wales. It is dedicated to Henry William Paget (the first Marquess of Anglesey) to commemorate his valour in the Napoleonic Wars. The column is a Grade II* listed building.[1]
The 27-metre-high (89 ft) monument (designed by Thomas Harrison) was erected close to Paget's country retreat at Plas Newydd, in 1817.[2] On the foundation stone there is an inscription in English, Welsh and Latin:
The inhabitants of the counties of Anglesey and Caernarvon have erected this column in grateful commemoration of the distinguished military achievements of their countryman HENRY WILLIAM, MARQUESS OF ANGLESEY the leader of the British Cavalry in Spain throughout the arduous Campaign of 1807 and Second in Command of the Armies confederated against France at the memorable battle of Waterloo on the 18th of June 1815. Thomas Harrison Architect.
During the battle of Waterloo, Paget (at that time Lord Uxbridge) lost his leg to a cannonball hit. It is claimed he turned to Lord Wellington when his leg was hit, and exclaimed, "By God, sir, I've lost my leg!" – to which Wellington replied, "By God, sir, so you have!".[3] Paget was later fitted with the first ever articulated wooden leg.[3]
The column stands on an outcrop of blueschist rock, formed when pillow lavas were metamorphosed under high pressure but at relatively low temperature. This example is amongst the oldest known in the world, and in 2010 the site was declared a Geological Site of Special Scientific Interest.[4] It is a star feature of the GeoMôn UNESCO Global Geopark.
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Telegraph Obituarywas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Anglesey rocks given special status". BBC News. BBC. 9 November 2010. Retrieved 3 June 2019.