The Nelson Column
Preserved but no longer current.
In Trafalgar Square,, London; was erected in 1843. The four lions,, by Landseer, were added in 1867. It is a Corinthian column of Devonshire granite on a square base, copied from a column in the temple of Mars Ultor (the avenging god of war) at Rome; it stands 145 ft. high, the statue surmounting it (by E. H. Baily, R.A.) being 17 ft. high.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “The Nelson Column” mean?
In Trafalgar Square,, London; was erected in 1843. The four lions,, by Landseer, were added in 1867. It is a Corinthian column of Devonshire granite on a square base, copied from a column in the temple of Mars Ultor (the avenging god of war) at Rome; it stands 145 ft. high, the statue surmounting it (by E. H. Baily, R.A.) being 17 ft. high.
Is “The Nelson Column” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.