Prince Albert Memorial, Swanage facts for kids
The Prince Albert Memorial is a special stone tower, called an obelisk, located in Swanage, Dorset. It was built to remember Prince Albert, who was the husband of Queen Victoria. Prince Albert passed away in 1861.
This memorial was put up in 1862. It's famous because it was the very first public memorial built for Prince Albert. Sadly, the memorial was taken down in 1971. But don't worry, it was rebuilt 50 years later, in 2021!
Building the First Memorial in 1862
Just a month after Prince Albert died in January 1862, a builder from Swanage named George Burt had an idea. He wrote to the local church leader, Revd Duncan Travers. George Burt suggested building a stone obelisk using local stone.
His design was inspired by another obelisk in London. That one remembered a politician named Robert Waithman. The Prince Albert Memorial was made from strong Purbeck stone. It was the first public memorial for Prince Albert.
Another important memorial was built in Manchester. It was designed by Thomas Worthington. That one was bigger and showed a statue of Prince Albert. But it wasn't finished until 1865, three years after the Swanage memorial. The original Swanage memorial stood on Court Hill. This is close to where the Royal British Legion is today.
When the Memorial Was Damaged and Removed
The memorial faced some tough weather over the years. In 1881, a huge snowstorm, known as the Great Blizzard, damaged its top sections. It was fixed after George Burt reminded the local council it was their job to look after it.
In 1901, another big storm caused more damage. By 1931, the top part of the memorial was taken off. A local builder named Frank Smith likely did this. The owner of a nearby house thought it was unsafe. The stone was moved to Smith's yard. Fifteen years later, it was sold to another company. This company then moved the stone to their yard in Langton Matravers.
A local historian, David Lewer, tried to get the memorial rebuilt in 1961. This was 100 years after Prince Albert's death. But his efforts were not successful. Later, a developer bought the land where the memorial stood. They planned to build houses there. The developer was supposed to move the memorial's base. However, the memorial was simply removed, and its pieces were put into storage.
There were other attempts to rebuild it. People tried for the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977. They also tried when Prince Albert Gardens opened in 1996. And again for the Millennium in 2000. But none of these plans worked out.
Rebuilding the Memorial in 2021
Finally, in 2020, permission was given to rebuild the memorial. The remaining pieces of the memorial were being stored at St Aldhelm's quarry in Worth Matravers. The Swanage and Purbeck Development Trust and Swanage Museum & Heritage Centre led the project. A kind person named Mike Sloggett paid for the work. Dorset Design Build carried out the construction.
The new memorial is in Prince Albert Gardens. This spot is near Peveril Point. It's believed that Prince Albert himself landed here in 1856. He visited Swanage on his royal yacht, the HMY Victoria and Albert. Prince Albert Gardens was once a miniature golf course. The memorial now stands where the 4th hole used to be.
The new Prince Albert Memorial was officially opened in 2021.