Chelsea Pensioners Monument, Brompton Cemetery

Heritage listing

Details MATERIALS: Pink granite obelisk with grey granite base and pedestal, bronze fittings and panoply, and iron cannon balls at the base. The monument consists of an obelisk set on a square pedestal with rough-hewn panels at the base and a bold projecting cornice. The low square base has bevelled upper edges and a plinth at each corner surmounted with a pile of five cannon balls (missing the top ball on two of the corners). The obelisk is surmounted by a bronze panoply of draped standards, has inverted torches, symbolic of death, down the corners and a spray of leaves and the royal cipher (VR) carved in relief at the head of the west face. The hollowed central section of the pedestal below the cornice is decorated on each face by a bronze lion mask set on a pelta (leather shield) in a trophy of arms. The inscriptions, in bronze lettering, on each face of the obelisk as follows: West face: TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD/ AND/ IN REVERED AND/ GRATEFUL MEMORY/ OF/ 2625 PENSIONERS/ OF THE/ ROYAL HOSPITAL/ CHELSEA/ BURIED AROUND THIS SPOT/ BETWEEN/ 1855 AND 1893 North face: THESE VETERANS/ HAVING FOUGHT/ FOR KING/ FOR QUEEN/ FOR ENGLAND/ FOR EMPIRE/ IN ALMOST EVERY/ PART OF THE WORLD/ CAME HOME TO DIE/ IN PEACE/ HONOURED/ AND RESPECTED/ BY THEIR/ FELLOW-COUNTRYMEN South face: ERECTED/ BY THE/ CHELSEA/ COMMISSIONERS/ ON BEHALF OF/ AN ADMIRING NATION/ AS A TESTIMONY/ AND TRIBUTE TO/ VALOUR ENDURANCE/ SUFFERINGS & DEVOTION East face (battle honours): MYSORE/ EGYPT/ INDIA/ PENINSULA/ CORUNNA/ SALAMANCA/ FLANDERS/ WATERLOO/ NEPAUL/ BURMAH/ SOUTH AFRICA/ AFGHANISTAN/ CABUL/ CANDAHAR/ CHINA/ NEW ZEALAND/ PUNJAB/ CRIMEA/ ALMA/ BALAKLAVA/ INKERMAN/ SEBASTOPOL/ PERSIA/ INDIAN MUTINY/ DELHI/ LUCKNOW.

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.