This tall obelisk can be found off Berryhill Road, a mile to the north-west of Aberdeen city centre, close to the Royal Cornhill Hospital, where it stands on its third different site since it was erected in 1830.
A lunatic asylum was opened at Cornhill in 1800, John Forbes of Newe shortly afterwards bequeathed £10,000 for the building of a new hospital and after his death this monument, designed by John Smith, was erected in St.Nicholas' Graveyard in the city centre. The obelisk was moved to the asylum and restored in 1838, where it stood for 180 years until a new housing estate was built on part of the site. Once again it was moved, this time a few yards to a better site for viewing by the public, after once again being restored.
The obelisk is of pink granite ashlar with a square plan base above three granite steps. Recessed grey granite panels are on all four faces giving the following inscriptions:
EAST FACE: 'JOHN FORBES, of Newe
Born 10th September 1743.
Died 20th June 1821.'
SOUTH FACE: 'To the memory of JOHN FORBES, Esquire of Newe, Aberdeen shire. Formerly merchant in Bombay, who munificently bequeathed the sum of TEN THOUSAND POUNDS STERLING, for the building of the new Lunatic Asylum.
His nephew and Executor, Sir Charles Forbes Baronet of Newe and Edinglassie, the worthy successor of his uncle in all the virtues of liberality and benevolence, with a munificence shedding lustre on the bequest itself, paid to Government the Legacy duty amounting to One thousand pounds Sterling.
This Pillar was erected by public subscriptions limited in amount to two guineas each, by the inhabitants of the City and County of Aberdeen'.
WEST FACE: 'SIR CHARLES FORBES
BARONET OF NEWE AND EDINGLASSIE
BORN 3rd APRIL 1773
DIED 20th JUNE 1821'
NORTH FACE: 'THIS ASYLUM WAS OPENED IN 1800
The Centre and Side Corridors if the New House were erected, according to a plan furnished by Mr Simpson Architect, in 1820;
Additions including the Kitchen &c. were made in 1840;
Corridors extending backwards were built in 1843;
The West Wing was erected in 1848;
The East Wing was added, and the original buildings removed, in 1852;
The plan was completed, and the Chapel built, in 1855'