Memorial details

Memorial type
Tower
District
Caithness
Town
Wick
County
Highland
Country
Scotland
Commemoration
Waterloo Campaign (1815), Crimean War (1853-1856), Indian Mutiny (1857-1858), Boer War; Second (1899-1902), First and Second Anglo-Afghan Wars (1839-1842 and 1878-1880), Egypt and the Sudan (1882-1899), Napoleonic Wars (1803-1814)
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: 25 September 1909
    Attended by: Lady Sinclair
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
58286

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Current location

Caithness Tower
North Head
on the North Head footpath
off Proudfoot Road
Wick
Caithness
Highland
KW1 4PQ
Scotland

OS Grid Ref: ND 37511 50979
Denomination: Undefined

View location on Google Maps
Description
A 2-stage commemorative square-plan tower, with a castellated parapet and a small square turret or cap house at the southwest corner. It is built of coursed Caithness sandstone rubble which is now rendered (2017). There are blind sandstone slab windows to all elevations. There is an arched entrance to the southwest elevation (partially blocked, 2017) with an inscription panel above: To perpetuate the patriotism of those natives of Caithness who served their country on land and sea. Many of their names, rescued from forgetfulness, are preserved for posterity in this memorial tower. "Their names are here: their deeds are in the histories of the world." 1909. There are inscriptions commemorating various battles, such as at Camperdown, Trafalgar, and Waterloo, on the remaining elevations. The interior was seen in 2017. There is a concrete floor at ground level and no floor structure at the first storey. A square hatch through a ceiling of stone flags gives access to the turret and roof. A detailed list of 400 veterans, compiled over four years by the Rev John Horne, was placed in a casket and laid in the floor inside the tower. John Horne was the driving force behind the memorial tower project.
Inscription
TO/ PERPETUATE THE PATRIOTISM/ OF THOSE/ NATIVES OF CAITHNESS/ WHO/ SERVED THEIR COUNTRY/ ON/ LAND AND SEA./ MANY OF THEIR NAMES, RESCUED/ FROM FORGETFULNESS, ARE/ PRESERVED FOR POSTERITY IN/ THIS MEMORIAL TOWER./ "Their names are here:/ their deeds are in the histories/ of the world."/ 1909/ CAMPERDOWN/ TRAFALGAR/ THE NILE/ ST VINCENT/ THE BALTIC/ ABOURKIR/ THE NORE/ CHINA/ WATERLOO/ SALAMANCA/ TOULOUSE/ LUCKNOW/ ALMA/ INKERMAN/ SEVASTOPOL/ (Unknown)/ (Unknown)/ KANDAHAR/ CHITRAL/ EGYPT/ AFGHANISTAN/ ZULULAND.
Inscription legible?
no
Commemorations
  • Waterloo Campaign (1815)
    Total names on memorial: 0
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 0
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Undefined
    Order of information: Undefined
  • Crimean War (1853-1856)
    Total names on memorial: 0
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 0
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Undefined
    Order of information: Undefined
  • Indian Mutiny (1857-1858)
    Total names on memorial: 0
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 0
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Undefined
    Order of information: Undefined
  • Boer War; Second (1899-1902)
    Total names on memorial: 0
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 0
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Undefined
    Order of information: Undefined
  • First and Second Anglo-Afghan Wars (1839-1842 and 1878-1880)
    Total names on memorial: 0
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 0
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Undefined
    Order of information: Undefined
  • Egypt and the Sudan (1882-1899)
    Total names on memorial: 0
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 0
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Undefined
    Order of information: Undefined
  • Napoleonic Wars (1803-1814)
    Total names on memorial: 0
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 0
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Undefined
    Order of information: Undefined
Components
  • Tower
    Measurements: height 10000mm
    Materials: Stone - Caithness
  • Roll of honour
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Unknown
  • Casket / Box
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Unknown
Condition
Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Sponsorship
Public
Details: Sinclair family
Reference

This record comprises all information held by IWM’s War Memorials Register for this memorial. Where we hold a names list for the memorial, this information will be displayed on the memorial record. Please check back as we are adding more names to the database.

This information is made available under a Creative Commons BY-NC licence.

This means you may reuse it for non-commercial purposes only and must attribute it to us using the following statement:

© WMR-58286

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