NHER 4302 (Building record) - The Norfolk Pillar or Nelson's Monument

Erected 1817, first of the Nelson columns.
Coade stone, hollow with stairs, an Ionic column by Wilkins. Top consists of ring of caryatids supporting roof on which figure of Britannia faces towards Nelson's birthplace (despite local legends). Used as a signal station until the 1970s.
Restoration work 1981 to 1982 revealed that the ring of caryatids had at some time been replaced in concrete; the figure of Britannia is original but had been split by lightning. The concrete had weathered badly. All to be replaced in fibre glass. Information from [1], 16 February 1982.

NOT scheduled according to Department of Environment although sheet issued as scheduled monument 108 (S8)! June 1953. Listed, Grade I. See (S1).
Caryatids were replaced 1896, information from the Department of Environment.
Originally had caretaker's cottage at base.
Figure of Britannia was not placed on top until 1819.
E. Rose (NAU)

For full details of 1981 to 1984 restoration, 19th century repairs etc see (S2).
E. Rose (NAU) 8 May 1985.

Head (now in Great Yarmouth Museum) bears date 1860 for repair.
E. Rose (NAU)

The local legend mentioned above, that the sculptor killed himself by jumping off the top of the tower when finding the statue facing the wrong way, is found attached to various other buildings in England, but here also received impetus from the fact that the borough surveyor Thomas Sutton died of a heart attack on top of the monument in 1819, see (S3).
E. Rose (NLA), 5 October 2002.

2005. Restoration works.
For details see original proposals (S3) and (S4), which includes photographs of the completed work.
S. Howard (HES), 26 October 2010.

The original caryatids from this monument have been found in the garden at Ketteringham Hall (NHER 9501). For further information see (S6) and correspondence and photographs in secondary file for NHER 9501.
A. Cattermole (NLA), 22 August 2006.

(S7) states that the caryatids were replaced in concrete in 1896 by J W “Concrete” Cockerill the borough architect.
E. Rose (NLA), 31 October 2006.

August 2009.
See (S8) for details of a Victorian photograph of the site.
H. White (NLA), 1 September 2009.

Article - 1997, 2006, missing from file [J. Yates, 18 November 2010].

Column is of the Doric order, not Ionic. 44m high
K. Hamilton (HES) 7 November 2011