The White Ensign

The Nelson Monument on Calton Hill at the east end of Edinburgh’s Prince St flies a naval White Ensign on occasion and this morning it was moving vigorously in a very strong wind - in fact it appeared to have been restrained to stop it being shredded.

I took this at about 8.30 am when walking into St Andrews House but it had gone half an hour later. I know the flag is flown for Trafalgar Day which was last Saturday, so perhaps it had been left in place since then.

Like several public buildings and monuments in the capital - including the new Parliament - the construction of Neslon’s Tower as it came to be called was plagued with problems including running out of money and the death of its architect.

None the less it was eventually completed and the ball that marks the time at 1.00pm was subsequently added and then restored in 2004 so that it still operates.

The plaque over the entrance to the building - which is designed to look like an upturned telescope - is a masterpiece of early 19th century martial sentiment .

It reads :

“To the memory of Vice-Admiral Horatio Lord Viscount Nelson, and of the great victory of Trafalgar, too dearly purchased with his blood, the grateful citizens of Edinburgh have erected this monument: not to express their unavailing sorrow for his death; nor yet to celebrate this matchless glories of his life; but, by his noble example, to teach their sons to emulate what they admire, and, like him, when duty requires it, to die for their country. AD MDCCCV”