Page 40 - Hampdens Monument Unveiled

THE AYLESBURY NEWS
24th JUNE 1843

THE HAMPDEN COMMEMORATION
On Monday last, the Two Hundredth anniversary of John Hampden
having received his death wound was celebrated by the raising a
monument to his memory on the spot near which that wound was
received. The monument completed on Monday last was erected by
a small number of subscribers, the public generally having
little or no intimation of the object having been contemplated.
The number of persons present, however, on Monday, was very
large ~ all the towns within 20 miles having sent forth some
admirers of the memory of Hampden. Several of the London
citizens were there also, attracted by a desire to do homage to
the principles in defence of which Hampden died.

On arriving within sight of the field numbers of persons, in
every variety of conveyance, and a still more numerous throng
trudging forward on foot, were seen drawing near the scene of
action from every quarter, and on arriving beside the monument
the spot presented the appearance of a fair. The memorial
itself is a simple and massive square pillar, of the most plain
and chaste design and construction.

Upon the side facing Warpsgrove is placed the medallion
portrait of the patriot, carved in marble by Scoular; on the
opposite side are engraved his arms. The third side exhibits a
list of the subscribers to the monument, and the fourth side
bears the following inscription, written by Lord Nugent :-

"Here
in this field of Chalgrove

JOHN HAMPDEN
after an able and strenuous
but unsuccessful resistance

in Parliament
and before the judges of the land
to the measures of an arbitrary Court

first took arms
assembling the levies of the associated counties

of Buckingham and Oxford
in 1642.
and here

within a few paces of this spot
he received the wound of
which he died
while fighting in defence

of the free monarchy and ancient liberties of England
June 18th 1643.

in the two hundredth year from that day
this stone was raised

in reverence to his memory