London’s stone column monuments in height order
- London On The Ground
- May 26
- 5 min read
Nelson’s Column is London’s best known free-standing stone column, but is it the tallest?
First, a rough definition: this post focuses on stand-alone, or free-standing, stone columns topped by a statue or other sculptural piece, which are in a public location and which commemorate an historical people or events.
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Unless I have missed one, there are five such columns in London with a height of more than 20 metres (65 ft).
Here they are, ranked in reverse order of height.
5. Westminster Scholars War Memorial (22.9 metres, 75 ft)
Erected in 1861 and also known as the Crimea and Indian Mutiny Memorial, the column commemorates 19 former pupils of Westminster School who died in wars of 1854-56 and 1857-58.
Almost entirely overlooked by tourists and passers-by, it stands in the shadow of Nicholas Hawksmoor's western towers of Westminster Abbey, outside the entrance to Dean’s Yard, which leads to Westminster School.
It was designed by architect George Gilbert Scott in High Victorian Gothic style. The principal sculpture on the top of the memorial depicts St George slaying the dragon and is by JR Clayton.
Immediately below this are statues of Edward the Confessor, Henry III, Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria, all by John Birnie Philip (one of several sculptors who also worked on the Albert Memorial).
The base is 4.3 metres (14 ft) high and the column and statues add a further 18.6 metres (61 ft).
4. Paternoster Square Column (23.3 metres, 76 feet)
This was completed in 2003 as part of the redevelopment of Paternoster Square, just to the north of St Paul’s Cathedral, by architects Whitfield Partners.
There is no plaque giving details of its creators or purpose, but its design – a fluted Corinthian column topped by a gilded copper urn with flame finial – bears a significant resemblance to that of the Monument to the Great Fire of 1666.
This is deliberate. The area that became Paternoster Square was destroyed by fire in 1666 and again in the Blitz in 1940.
Once the centre of London’s bookselling and publishing trades, it is said that half a million books were destroyed in the area in the Great Fire, while 15 million were lost in the Blitz.
The column’s design also echoes that used by architect Inigo Jones in the west portico of old St Paul’s before it was lost in the Great Fire. This style of column can be seen at the entrances on three sides of Sir Christopher Wren’s cathedral today.
In addition to the aesthetic and commemorative features of its design, the column has a practical purpose. It disguises an air vent for a service road and car park underneath the square.
3. Duke of York Column (42 metres, 138 ft)
Completed in 1834, it stands at the top of the Duke of York Steps, which lead down from Waterloo Place to the Mall.
On top of the Tuscan column is a statue of Prince Frederick, Duke of York, sculpted by Sir Richard Westmacott. The Duke was the second son of George III and Queen Charlotte.
Commander-in-chief of the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars, a series of military setbacks led to his characterisation as the ‘Grand Old Duke of York’ of nursery rhyme fame (although the origins of the song are debated).
This prompted a significant programme of reform and he is credited with modernising the army into a proficient fighting force.
When he died in 1827, at the age of 63, the Duke was £2 million in debt, but every member of the British Army agreed to give up a day’s wages to pay for his monument.
2. Nelson’s Column (52 metres, 169 ft)
Not the tallest, but London’s most famous column was completed in 1843 at a cost of £47,000 as part of the new Trafalgar Square in the Charing Cross area of Westminster.
Designed by architect William Railton, the monument consists of a Corinthian column topped by a 5.2 metre (17 ft) statue of Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, sculpted by Edward Hodges Baily.
Four bronze reliefs on the pedestal below the column depict scenes of battles in Nelson’s career, including his death on 21 October 1805 at Trafalgar, his most famous victory. The bronze for these panels came from captured French guns.
The four bronze lions by Edwin Landseer were added around the base in 1867.
The figure of Nelson is looking down Whitehall, but his head is turned off-centre. His gaze is drawn towards the Old Admiralty building, where his body rested before his funeral on 9 January 1806, and far beyond towards Trafalgar itself.
1. The Monument to the Great Fire of London (62 metres, 202 ft)
At a height of 202 feet, or 62 metres, The Monument to the Great Fire of London is not only London’s tallest free-standing stone column, but also the tallest in the world.
Known simply as The Monument, it was completed in 1677 to designs by scientist and architect Robert Hooke, with significant support from Sir Christopher Wren.
It comprises a fluted Doric column topped by a gilded flaming copper urn. Its height is the same as the distance from the Monument to the baker’s shop on Pudding Lane where the Great Fire started on 2 September 1666 (see also The Monument, the relief and its meaning).
To many people, Nelson’s Column looks taller than The Monument. This is probably because Nelson’s Column is more slender and it has no buildings near to it, allowing it to dominate Trafalgar Square. By contrast, The Monument is surrounded by office buildings several storeys high.
However, the early 18th century column commemorating the destruction and reconstruction of the City of London is 10 metres taller than the mid 19th century memorial to Britain’s most celebrated naval hero.
To illustrate the point, this is what Trafalgar Square would look like if The Monument were to stand there next to Nelson’s Column:
And this is what Monument Square would look like with Nelson’s Column squeezed into it:
The Monument would also tower over the Duke of York Column in Waterloo Place:
My final image shows London’s five tallest stone column monuments in a single graphic, more or less to scale.
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For a schedule of forthcoming London On The Ground guided walks, please click here.
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