Melville Monument, Edinburgh facts for kids
The Melville Monument is a 150-foot high monumental column. One of the most prominent memorials in Edinburgh, it commemorates Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, whose statue surmounts the column.
The Category A listed column dominates St Andrew Square, in the heart of the New Town which Dundas helped to establish. It was erected in 1821, 14 years after his death. The architect was William Burn. The statue was added in 1828. The plaque at the base of the statue says the monument was paid for by officers and men of the Royal Navy.
Conservation
In 2008 the Melville Monument was restored as part of the Twelve Monuments Project, a joint initiative of Edinburgh World Heritage and the City of Edinburgh Council.
In culture
Jack Docherty's short story "Statuesque", centred on this statue, was broadcast by BBC Radio 4 on 28 June 2020 in its Short Works series of stories inspired by current events.
