Welcombe to the Obelisk

This morning I set out to reach the obelisk in Welcombe Country Park, on the edge of Stratford-upon-Avon.

First view of the obelisk and Welcombe Hotel

Looking more or less east across the Avon valley

Looking more or less south towards Ilmington Downs

The four faces:

West

North

East

South

Initially, this monument was erected to commemorate the works of Mark Philips, who died at Welcombe in 1873.  Mr Philips was a courageous and energetic supporter of education and civil and religious liberty, and an altruistic provider of places for recreation.  He was the first MP for Manchester.  The memorial was erected by his brother.

The obelisk from the south west, with the Avon valley beyond.

Welcombe Hotel roofscape.

It was difficult to get a good image of the hotel, but this does enough to show the architectural style.  My initial thinking was that it might be from the reign of William and Mary, or Anne, or Victorian Neo-Jacobean.  It turned out to be the latter, being completed only in 1867.  More from English Heritage.

In The Belt.