Memorial details

Memorial type
Sculptured / Cast group
District
City Of Westminster
Town
Westminster
County
Greater London
Country
England
Commemoration
Seven Years' War (1756-1763)
Maker
James Wilton (Sculptor)
Giovanni Battista Cappitzoldi (Designer)
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: 1772
    Attended by:
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
91729

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Current location

North ambulatory
Westminster Abbey
Victoria Street
Westminster
City Of Westminster
Greater London
SW1P 3PA
England

OS Grid Ref: TQ 30079 79487
Denomination: Church of England

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Description
A large, elaborate marble sculpture comprising from the top: the figure of Victory descending bearing a laurel wreath and a palm branch; the figure of the dying General supported by two soldiers in front of a tent; a sarcophagus supported by two large lions, on which the oval dedication is mounted; a three-part plinth upon which coats-of-arms and a relief of bronzed lead showing the assault on Quebec. Two Canadian flags (battalion colours) flank the dedication. The level of ornamentation is best viewed from the image.
Inscription
TO THE MEMORY OF/JAMES WOLFE/MAJOR-GENERAL AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF/OF THE BRITISH LAND FORCES/ON THE EXPEDITION AGAINST QUEBEC/WHO AFTER SURMOUNTING BY ABILITY AND VALOUR/ALL OBSTACLES OF ART AND NATURE/WAS SLAIN/IN THE MOMENT OF VICTORY/ON THE XIII OF SEPTEMBER MDCCLIX./THE KING/AND THE PARLIAMENT OF GREAT BRITAIN/DEDICATE THIS MONUMENT.
Inscription legible?
yes
Names on memorial
Wolfe, James
See details
Commemorations
  • Seven Years' War (1756-1763)
    Total names on memorial: 1
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 1
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Rank, forename, surname
    Order of information: Forename, surname, rank,
Components
  • Sculpture
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Marble - White
  • Plaque
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Lead (bronzed)
Listing information
Condition
Costs

Comments: Total cost £3000 in 1772

Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Sponsorship
Public
Details: The King and the Parliament of Great Britain
Responsibility
Westminster Abbey
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-91729

For queries, please contact [email protected].