Chinese Bell Monument - The Arboretum - Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Posted by: SMacB
N 52° 57.680 W 001° 09.339
30U E 623880 N 5869561
A metal bell surrounded by 4 canon, mounted within an elaborate Chinese style pagoda, dedicated to the 59th/2nd Nottinghamshire Regiment of Foot during the Crimean war 1854-55, and Anglo-Chinese war of 1857-61.
Waymark Code: WMXATE
Location: East Midlands, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 12/18/2017
Views: 1
A metal bell, surrounded by 4 canon, mounted within an elaborate Chinese style pagoda, dedicated to the 59th/2nd Nottinghamshire Regiment of Foot during the Crimean war 1854-55, and Anglo-Chinese war of 1857-61.
"War Memorial on south side of Arboretum (Formerly Listed as: ARBORETUM War Memorial) II War memorial. Dated 1862-63. By M Ogle Tarbotton, Borough Engineer. Ashlar. Rectangular platform, pink sandstone, approx 10m x 5m, on a stepped ashlar plinth. Inscriptions, partly illegible, around the platform. At each corner, a cannon on a stone base. In the centre of the platform, an octagonal cupola in the Chinese style, with swept octagonal spire. Round columns with traceried brackets, and inscriptions in Chinese and Russian on the frieze.
HISTORICAL NOTE: the cupola originally contained a bell, looted by British troops from a temple in Canton during the Anglo-Chinese war of 1857-61. This was removed to the regimental museum in 1956. 2 of the cannon were captured at Sebastopol in 1854-55, during the Crimean war: 2 are replicas c1862. The memorial commemorates the involvement of the 59th/2nd Nottinghamshire Regiment of Foot in these wars, and the trophies were presented by Lt. Col. Burmester in 1857. The memorial is unusual in commemorating two campaigns, and dates from a period when the names of those killed were not recorded."
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Inscription -
PRESENTED TO THE TOWN OF NOTTINGHAM BY LIEUT. COL BURMESTER C.B. AND THE OFFICERS & SOLDIERS OF THE 59TH OR 2ND NOTTINGHAM REGIMENT OF FOOT IN REMEMBRANCE OF A TOWN AND COUNTY FROM WHICH THE REGIMENT HAS HAD SO MANY GOOD SOLDIERS. TAKEN FROM A LARGE AND HANDSOME TEMPLE NEAR THE EAST GATE OF CANTON BY THE 59TH OR 2ND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE REGIMENT OF FOOT WHEN THAT CITY WAS CAPTURED IN 1857. THE BELL STOOD IN THE PRINCIPAL PART OF THE TEMPLE AND IS BELIEVED TO BE A MIXTURE OF STEEL AND SILVER AND WAS STRUCK DURING RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES TO CALL THE ATTENTION OF THE JOSS OR GOD OR TO ANNOUNCE HIS PRESENCE.