Grey's Monument facts for kids
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| Coordinates | 54°58′23″N 1°36′47″W / 54.973°N 1.613°W |
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| Location | Tyne and Wear, England, UK |
Grey's Monument is a famous landmark in the middle of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It's a special kind of building called a Grade I listed monument, which means it's very important and protected because of its history and design.
The monument was built in 1838 to honor Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey. He was an important politician who helped pass a big law called the Great Reform Act in 1832. This law changed how people voted in Britain. The monument stands tall at the start of Grey Street.
It has a statue of Earl Grey on top of a tall, round column. The column sits on a base made of local sandstone. The whole monument is about 135 feet (41 meters) high! Local architects John and Benjamin Green designed the column. The statue was made by a sculptor named Edward Hodges Baily, who also created the statue of Nelson in Trafalgar Square. People paid for the monument by donating money.
History of the Monument
In July 1941, during World War II, something surprising happened. A bolt of lightning struck the monument and knocked off the head of Earl Grey's statue!
A few years later, in 1947, a sculptor named Roger Hedley made a new head for the statue. He used pieces of the old head to make sure the new one looked just right.
Around the Monument
Grey's Monument is so well-known that many things around it are named after it. The Monument Metro station, which is a train station right underneath, is named after it. So is the Monument Mall Shopping Centre and a local area called Monument.
There's a spiral staircase inside the monument that goes all the way to the top. Sometimes, it's opened to the public, and you can go up to a viewing platform for amazing views of the city!
Years ago, the monument was in the middle of a busy road, surrounded by railings. Now, the area around it is just for people walking, with no cars. It's a popular spot with lots of shops, from small local stores to fancy designer boutiques.
A Popular Meeting Spot
The wide base of Grey's Monument is a favorite place for people to gather and watch the world go by. You'll often see street performers, people giving speeches, or even political protesters there.
The monument has even been mentioned in songs! The band Maxïmo Park has a song called By the Monument. Also, the song Play God by Sam Fender includes a line that seems to refer to Grey's Monument.
What the Monument Says
The main message carved into the base of the monument tells us why it was built. It says:
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THIS COLUMN WAS ERECTED IN 1838 |
This inscription basically says that the monument was built to remember Earl Grey's important work. He worked for almost 50 years to bring peace and freedom to people. He started trying to change how people were represented in government back in 1792. Then, as a minister, he led the way for the big Parliamentary Reform law to finally pass in 1832, after a long and difficult fight.
On the other side of the monument, there's another message added later:
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AFTER A CENTURY OF CIVIL PEACE, |
This second message was added in 1932, a hundred years after the Reform Act. It shows that people were still thankful to Earl Grey for his important work, even a century later.
