Hardy Monument

About

The Hardy Monument (sometimes referred to as Hardy's Monument) is a 72-foot-high (22 m) monument on the summit of Black Down near Portesham in Dorset. It was erected in 1844 by public subscription in memory of Vice Admiral Sir Thomas Hardy, flag captain of Admiral Lord Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar. It has been owned by National Trust since 1938, when it was bought for £15, and is regularly opened for visitors can climb the 120 steps to the viewpoint at the top.

Admiral Hardy lived in Portesham and his family owned the Portesham estate which stretched from the middle of Portesham to Black Down. The site for the monument, a hill overlooking the English Channel, was chosen because the Hardy family wanted a monument which could be used as a landmark for shipping. The monument has been shown on navigational charts since 1846 and is visible from a distance of 60 miles (97 km).

The monument was designed to look like a spyglass, as Admiral Hardy would have used on board ship. Its eight corners are aligned with the compass points. Viewed from the ground the corner to the right of the lightning conductor points due south.

The bench mark on the northwest face denotes the altitude of Black...