Smelt Monument
Smelt Monument
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| Coordinates | 54°04′25.57″N 04°39′10.44″W / 54.0737694°N 4.6529000°WCoordinates: 54°04′25.57″N 04°39′10.44″W / 54.0737694°N 4.6529000°W |
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| Location | Castletown, Isle of Man |
| Designer | John Welch |
| Type | Commemorative column |
| Beginning date | 1836 |
| Completion date | 1837 |
| Opening date | 1837 |
| Dedicated to | Cornelius Smelt |
The Smelt Monument is a monument in Castletown, Isle of Man built to commemorate the life of Cornelius Smelt, the first royally appointed Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man, and who died in 1832. Work on the monument began in 1836, being finished the following year, and constructed to a design by John Welch at a cost of £180. It is a column of the Grecian Doric Order built from locally sourced stone, the work being undertaken by John Thomas.
After the death of Cornelius Smelt in 1832, Sir William Hillary, a friend of Smelt's, proposed that a memorial be built in honour of his memory. A meeting was called at Seneschal's Office, Seneschal Lane, Douglas, on August 18, 1835, where it was decided that a column should be erected, utilising funds for a portrait of Smelt then being held in Holmes' Bank which provided a basis for the funding. Further money was raised, amounting to a total of £200 and John Welch, an architect, drew up two designs, one for an obelisk, and the other a Grecian Doric. Following deliberation the Grecian Doric design was decided upon, the contract was awarded to John Thomas, the consideration being £180.
At a further meeting held at the George Inn it was resolved to site the monument at the intersection of the College and Castletown roads, in the region of Hango Hill, and space was set aside for the construction. However it was subsequently decided to site the monument on The Parade, Castletown, facing Castle Rushen. Welch was well known to Sir William Hillary being responsible for the design of the Tower of Refuge and the architect's services were requisitioned for the Smelt Memorial Scheme. A request was made to Welch by the committee to:
"furnish estimates for two columns not exceeding £200 each, the one of a Grecian Doric column, the other an obelisk."
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