Summary
A memorial to Queen Victoria, designed by Percy Stone, erected in 1903.
Reasons for Designation
The Victoria Memorial, 1903 is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* as an evocative and well-detailed memorial, with richly-carved stonework and bronze sculpture, which contributes to the character of an architecturally varied historic streetscape.
Historic interest:
* as a major monument in the centre of Newport representing the Isle of Wight's commemoration of Queen Victoria and standing as a testament to her close relationship with the island through her residence at Osborne House;
* the memorial stands in close proximity to a large number of listed buildings, including the Grade II* Isle of Wight County Club immediately to the east.
History
Newport’s first charter was granted by Richard de Redvers, fourth Earl of Devon in the late C12 and this is generally regarded as marking its foundation. The settlement was laid out on the low-lying ground along the western bank of the River Medina using a grid-style plan. Recent topographic analysis suggests that Newport may have developed around an existing informal trading settlement located at the head of Medina estuary, in the vicinity of Sea and Quay Street (Alexander, 2021). The High Street is one of five east-west running streets within the grid layout. High Street and Pyle Street extend the full length of the grid, divided by a market square, and form the planned core of Newport, with other shorter parallel streets to the south (South Street) and north (Lugley and Crocker Street). They were all largely in place by the mid-C13.
In the C14, Isle of Wight was frequently subject to raids by French forces during long-running conflicts between England and France. According to historical documents, during one of the raids in 1377 Newport was severely damaged by fire and much of the population fled to Carisbrooke Castle. It appears that Newport was functioning again a few years later. During this century, records indicate that the population of Newport did decrease, most likely due to several wider economic factors, and did not significantly increase until the mid-C17. The town was incorporated as a borough in 1608 under a new charter granted by James I. Newport did not significantly expand beyond its medieval limits until around the late C18. By the mid-C19 there had been a more significant expansion of the town, including the development of its suburbs, which continued into the C20.
Queen Victoria died on 22 January 1901. Only two months later, the Isle of Wight County Press and South of England Reporter began to report on proposals for a special Isle of Wight memorial which would be funded by open subscription. These articles stressed the close relationship that the Island had with the monarch: '[t]he nation will commemorate Queen Victoria as a glorious monarch... The Island will commemorate her as a gracious friend and neighbour and Queen of the Home'.
In December 1901, the Isle of Wight Queen Victoria Memorial Committee launched a design competition for the monument, which was to be erected in St James's Square. A premium of £25 was offered for the accepted design. Following the end of the competition on 31 January 1902, the fifty designs were exhibited at the Town Hall. The winner - Percy Stone - was chosen by Princess Beatrice, Queen Victoria's youngest child and the then Governor of the Isle of Wight. Princess Beatrice also suggested that various aspects of the design, including the figures representing Sympathy, Fortitude and Dignity and the lions at the base of the pillars, be made of bronze rather than the stone originally proposed. However, as the initial sum raised (just over £1,000) was insufficient to cover the original cost, let alone the more expensive bronze elements, the Committee had to ask for more subscriptions.
In September 1902, when the foundation works were laying out, the Isle of Wight County Press and South of England Reporter reported that there was some debate about the location of the memorial and whether it projected too far northwards into the High Street.
The unveiling of the monument, by Princess Beatrice, finally took place on 13 August 1903. It was made at Blackwater by apprentices at the establishment of a Mr J H King, with architectural enrichments and sculpture work being carried out by Messrs Nicholls. Local firm T E Jenkins constructed the steps. The total cost of the monument was £1,702 6s.
Details
A memorial to Queen Victoria, designed by Percy Stone, erected in 1903.
MATERIALS: the memorial is primarily constructed of stone with bronze sculptural details.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial rests on a circular stone dais set at a step up from the pavement. The stepped, tripartite base of the monument has three concave sides that meet at squared faces, each bearing inscriptions and crests in bronze. These faces point towards either end of the High Street (i.e. east and west) and south down St James's Square. The plinth follows the same plan with three concave sides meeting at short, squared faces. The short, south face has Queen Victoria's coat of arms above '1901' in Roman numerals. The short east and west faces each have another crest (inscribed with J R) with a crown above and '1901' in Roman numerals beneath. The curved, north face has an inscription in Gothic script that reads: TO VICTORIA THE QUEEN/ THIS MEMORIAL WAS RAISED/ BY THE PEOPLE OF THE WIGHT. At the six corners of the base are unusual stone carvings in relief in the form of roots. The top of the plinth features a foliate, ovolo moulding with letters spelling out VICTORIA incorporated into the carving.
Atop the plinth are three seated, bronze lions cast in natural poses. Positioned centrally between them is a hexagonal pedestal supporting a cylindrical column, both of stone. Around this column is a framework of cast and figurative bronze: three female figures in medieval dress representing Sympathy, Dignity and Fortitude (the latter in armour) hold up the Crown of England that encircles the column. Between these figures, rising from stone corbels, are three narrow, fluted columnettes of bronze which run the full height of the stone column, terminating in foliate, Art Nouveau interpretations of stiff-leafed capitals, which converge into a single bronze capital decorated with unusual spiral motifs. This capital supports a richly-carved Gothic lantern in stone with a pinnacle surmounted by a Celtic cross.
