Name: Sir Bevil Grenville's Monument
Rating: 5.0

Sir Bevil Grenville's Monument

Battlefields, Bath BA1 9DD, UK

1-99 Years

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Description

Sir Bevil Grenville's Monument was erected in the 18th century to commemorate the Royalist commander and his Cornish pikemen who fought at the Battle of Lansdown, 1643. When King Charles I raised his standard at Nottingham on 22 August 1642, he had no professional army at his command.

In the first years of the Civil War troops on both sides were recruited in time-honoured fashion: the nobility and gentry called out their dependants and tenants to fight on whichever side their masters favoured.

Free Entry. If you are looking for Best place for day out with kids and families then this is the perfect destination offering fun, adventure, and unforgettable memories for everyone.

Features

Free
Host birthday parties: No

Features

History of Sir Bevil Grenville’s Monument: Standing on the edge of Lansdown Hill, this early 18th-century monument commemorates the heroic death of the Royalist leader Sir Bevil Grenville at the Battle of Lansdown in 1643.
The English Civil War: When King Charles I raised his standard at Nottingham on 22 August 1642, he had no professional army at his command. In the first years of the Civil War troops on both sides were recruited in time-honoured fashion: the nobility and gentry called out their dependants and tenants to fight on whichever side their masters favoured.
During the winter of 1642–3 four Cornish squires – Sir Bevil Grenville, Sir Nicholas Slanning, John Trevanion and John Arundel – raised a force of over 1,500 infantry that became the nucleus of the king’s Western Army.
When fighting was renewed in spring 1643, the king prepared to attack London and dissolve the alienated Parliament. Under the command of Sir Ralph Hopton the Western Army marched north-eastwards from Devon while Charles moved south from Oxford. Hopton was opposed by an old comrade-in-arms, Sir William Waller, who commanded the Parliamentarian forces in the west country.
Determined to prevent the two Royalist armies from joining together, Waller took up a strong position on the top of Lansdown Hill near Bath, from which his guns could block the Royalist advance along the London road (now the A4).
Sir Bevil’s Action: On 5 July 1643 Grenville’s Cornish infantry began fighting their way up the steep slopes to attack Waller’s guns. It was an almost suicidal act of bravery. Twice the Cornish were beaten back, but the third time they reached and took the guns, fighting off a vigorous Parliamentarian counter-attack. It was in the course of this that Sir Bevil Grenville was killed. Even so, by nightfall the Royalists had won the battle; Waller retreated and the way was open for an attack on London.
The Monument: It was Henry Grenville, Lord Lansdown, who erected the monument that now stands where his grandfather Sir Bevil died. Standing 7.6 metres (25 feet) high, it carries an inscription on the south side describing the battle and two poems on the north side, and is surmounted by a griffin bearing the Grenville coat of arms. As a piece of architecture, it is typical of the flamboyant style known as English Baroque.

Facilities

Parking: There is a layby adjacent to the site.
Food & Drinks: You can find shops, food outlets and facilities in the World Heritage city of Bath, just a short drive from the monument.
Dogs: Dogs on leads are welcome.

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Price

Price: Free

Birthday Parties

Offer Birthday Parties: No

Open any reasonable time during daylight hours.

Address: Battlefields, Bath BA1 9DD, UK

Post Code: BA1 9DD

Council: South Gloucestershir

County: Gloucestershire

Road Access: Located 4 miles NW of Bath on the N edge of Lansdown Hill, near the road to Wick.
Bus Access: Wessex service 620 Bath Spa – Tetbury.
Train Access: Bath Spa 4 1⁄2 miles.
Bicycle Access: Find this site on The National Cycle Network.
Parking: There is a layby adjacent to the site.