Llanfairpwllgwyngyll: plaque atop the Marquess of Anglesey’s Column

Above one's head on reaching the top of SH5371 : Llanfairpwllgwyngyll: Marquess of Anglesey’s Column and stepping out onto the platform, this fascinating plaque is difficult to view because of the windy conditions and the unfortunate mass of graffiti etched into it. It tells in great detail how the statue of the Marquess was raised into position on 24 November 1860, some 43 years after the column was built. It is just possible to discern in the centre a diagram of the column complete with the winching apparatus positioned for the task. Two blocks of text, top-left and top-right, read as follows (much of the punctuation is mine): [left-hand side] "A Mainmast 113 feet high placed near the column on the north side, a Jury mast 28 feet high resting on the south side of the Abacus leaving a space of 16 feet & 8 inches between the masts. At the top of the masts were a pair of traversing Beams. The mainmast consisted of Two lower masts each 55 feet long by 15 inches square the lower ends being fixed 6 feet apart into a heelpiece 30 feet long set about 5 feet from the Base of the Column and supported by Diagonal shores. The upper ends were 14 inches apart and a Topmast 58 feet long was hoisted up between them and fastened by a Cross and Cuptree 10 feet below the lower mast's head. The Lower mast and Topmast were secured by wire rigging. The Jury mast was a single span fixed up[ ]right into a heelpiece about 10 feet long and supported by Two Diagonal shores and rigging. The Beams reaching across from the Main mast to the Jury mast were 6 inches apart placed on steps each side of the Masts 3 feet from the top." [right-hand side] "Along the beams worked a Traveller and Pulley wheel and from there were suspended Double purchase blocks and ropes by means of which the Statue was hoisted. At the corners of the Column were 4 crab winches viz 3 for hoisting each of which was worked by 3 men, and 1 for riding the Traveller and Statue from its hoisting position to its present place. The time occupied in raising and placing the Statue was about 1 hour and 20 minutes. The Statue was designed and executed by Matthew Noble, Sculptor. The Scaffolding and hoisting apparatus by John Skye Haslam. The erection was under the immediate superintendance [sic] of Rear Admiral Lord Clarence Paget on the 24th day of November 1860."

  © Copyright Chris Downer and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence .

Submitted via Geograph

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• statue
• suburb
• urban fringe
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