Monument to Grace Darling facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Monument to Grace Darling |
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| Type | Funerary monument |
| Location | Bamburgh, Northumberland |
| Built | 1842 |
| Architect | Anthony Salvin |
| Architectural style(s) | Victorian |
| Governing body | Church |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Official name: Monument to Grace Darling circa 30 yards West of the Church of St Aidan | |
| Designated | 22 December 1969 |
| Reference no. | 1206625 |
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The Monument to Grace Darling is a special memorial. You can find it in the churchyard of St Aidan's Church in Bamburgh, Northumberland. This monument is built in a style called Victorian Gothic.
The famous architect Anthony Salvin designed the monument. Later, other people like Frederick Wilson, C. R. Smith, and W. S. Hicks helped to fix it. Grace Darling was born on November 24, 1815. Her father was a lighthouse keeper at Longstone Lighthouse.
In 1838, Grace became a national hero. She and her father bravely rescued nine people. Their ship, the SS Forfarshire, had crashed. It ran aground near Big Harcar, an island off the coast of Northumberland. Grace Darling died at age 26 in 1842. The monument was built over her grave in the same year. It is a very important building, listed as Grade II*.
Who Was Grace Darling?
Grace Darling's brave rescue made her famous across the country. She and her father saved nine people from the wrecked ship SS Forfarshire. For her courage, Grace received the Gold Medal for Bravery. This award came from the Royal Humane Society. She also got the Silver Medal for Gallantry. This was from an early version of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
Even Queen Victoria contributed £50 to a special fund for Grace. Sadly, Grace died just four years later from tuberculosis. People all over the country were very sad when she passed away.
Building the Monument
Grace Darling was buried in the churchyard of St Aidan's. A large monument was placed over her grave. Anthony Salvin designed this special memorial.
Salvin chose a type of stone called Portland stone. Unfortunately, this stone did not last well in the weather. By 1885, the monument needed to be completely rebuilt. The original statue of Grace was moved inside the church. A new statue was carved from stone given by William Armstrong, 1st Baron Armstrong. C. R. Smith designed this new statue.
In 1895, a big storm caused more damage. The top part, called the canopy, had to be replaced. W. S. Hicks designed the new canopy. In 2013, people remembered the 175th anniversary of Grace's rescue. They held a special service to honor her.
What Does the Monument Look Like?
The monument is described as a "Gothic shrine" by experts. These experts include Sir Nickolaus Pevsner and Ian Richmond. They wrote about it in their book, Buildings of England. The style is called Decorated Gothic.
The monument shows a statue of Grace Darling lying down. This type of statue is called a "recumbent effigy." It rests under a canopy with three arches. The canopy has metal pillars and pointed decorations called finials. The monument was officially listed as a Grade II* structure in 1969. This means it is a very important historical building.
