Peel Monument

After Peel's death in 1850 there was a campaign to erect a statue in Bury and a monument at the top of Harcles Hill. A monuments committee was convened and chaired by local industrialist William Grant. Grant insisted that, when viewed from his home at Nuttall Hall, the tower should be in line with St Andrews Church, which he had also built in 1832. The monument, standing 128 feet, was built at a cost of £1000 raised through public appeal. The gritstone used to construct the monument was quarried from the hill itself with the hole left by the excavation adjacent to the tower still visible. The name "Peel" is carved in large letters above the door of the large crenellated base section that…

A statue of Peel by Edward Hodges Baily was unveiled in Bury town centre on 8 September 1852, and a separate ceremony was held to open the tower the following day. Speeches were made by Joshua Knowles, owner of the Tottington calico works, and by Peel's son Frederick Peel. Frederick was the guest of honour and commended the memorial both to the memory of his father and to free trade. Passengers who had travelled by excursion train from Salford arrived too late to witness the ceremony.