The Prince Consort Memorial

Cadw's description

Location

Situated on the NE side of the town near the highest point of Castle Hill.

History

Memorial to Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria, died 14.12.1861, erected 1864-5 as the Welsh National Memorial, counterpart to statues in Edinburgh and Dublin. Marble statue of the prince in uniform of a field-marshal wearing the cloak and collar of the Order of the Garter, by John Evan Thomas (1810-73), on a high grey limestone plinth designed by H Maule-ffinch of Tenby and erected by George Thomas of Pembroke. One account however says that the pedestal was designed by the sculptor and erected by his brother W M Thomas, under superintendence of Maule-ffinch. The proposal to erect the Welsh national memorial in Tenby was made by the mayor, anxious that Tenby should take the lead in Wales. A copy of Joseph Durham's electrotype statue of 1863 outside the Albert Hall was first proposed, to cost £1,000 in bronze or £500 in electrotype, but J E Thomas proposed Sicilian marble as light, hard as metal, and unlikely to decay in the clean Tenby air. The foundation stone was laid on the anniversary of the death, 14.12.1864, and the memorial was unveiled 2.8.1865 by the 15-year old Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught. Over 16,000 people subscribed. The pedestal cost £347 and the statue was to cost £700, though the final total cost was £2,250. The white marble has eroded significantly.

Exterior

Memorial statue. Standing figure some 2.7m tall in Sicilian marble on a tall pedestal of grey limestone, raised on a square platform of 3 steps also of grey limestone. The Prince is in uniform with mantle and collar of the Order of the Garter and holds a field-marshal's baton. Base inscribed John Evan Thomas, Sculptor.
The pedestal is robustly detailed with battered sides, chamfered angles and heavy cornice. Coved lower moulding between large recumbent console scrolls extending out diagonally. On the pedestal are 4 tablets of white marble, rectangular with quadrant rebates at the angles. Arms of the Prince Consort to the S, of the princes of Wales to the N, the monogram of Victoria and Albert to the rear W supported by a Welsh dragon, and to the front an inscription: 'Albert Dda, Priod Ein Gorhoffus Frenhines Victoria Albert the Good Consort of our Beloved Queen Victoria'. The high plinth has a front inscription recording the dates of foundation and unveiling, rear inscription 'Born 26.8.1819 Died 14.12.1861, and diagonally-set corner blocks supporting the scrolls. The platform is inscribed on the S side H Maule Ffinch, Archt, Tenby, and on the N side, George Thomas, Builder, Pembroke.

Reason for designation

Included as one of the major monumental sculptures of the C19 in Wales.