Monument

Monument To William Jessop

Fig.1 Jessop Monument 2008

The Codnor Park monument (as it is known locally) was erected in 1854 to the memory of William Jessop Jnr. 1783-1852. He had been an active partner in the Butterley Company for many years. His father (also called William) was one of the founding members of the company. The monument was raised by Public subscription at a cost of £700 and Mr Francis Wright, of Osmaston Manor, laid the first stone on October 9th 1854.
The monument is situated on high ground above Codnor Park & Ironville and is 70 feet high. It is constructed of grit stone and has a door in the South facing side of the square base, which leads directly onto a spiral staircase of 150 steps.
The viewing platform on top offered extensive views over the Erewash valley as well as both Butterley Iron works at Ripley and Codnor Park.

Fig.2 Entrance to Monument grounds 1904

The monument & grounds were a popular attraction for Gala's, and Sunday school outings. Whit Monday Band of Hope Fetes were also held there, with local Bands marching through the villages before finally ending up at the monument. The grounds were used by families for picnics and the monument hall in later years was used as a Rola rena.

Fig.3 Sunday school Whit Sunday outing c1908.

However on Monday Afternoon on the 8th July 1861 the monument was struck by lightning, splitting the tower from top to bottom and sending huge stones falling to the ground.
The inscription plaque on the North-facing wall was also smashed and is now lost.

This event was reported in the "Illustrated London News" July 27th 1861 and read as follows:

Fig.4 Lightning Damage

“A FEARFUL storm of thunder and lightning visited the locality of Codnor, Derbyshire, on Monday, the 8th instant, injuring the Jessop Monument in an extraordinary manner. The monument was struck near the top by the electric fluid which took the zigzag course shown in the Engraving, shattering many of the steps and dashing them, along with ponderous stones forming the building, a considerable distance, till it came to the base of the building, where it forced the sub-scription plate from its place, and cleaving an immense block of stone beneath it, buried itself in the earth.”

The Monument continued to be used for many years despite the condition it was in. Eventually it was considered too dangerous and the monument grounds were closed to the public.

Fig.5 A poor quality photo showing the view from the top of Jessop's Monument looking towards Codnor Castle, early 1980s

Fig.6 A view inside the Monument Hall during the early 1980s. The Toll Road sign is from the entrance to New Road at the top of Golden Valley. The sign reads;

TOLL ROAD

Notice
Private Road

TOLL CHARGES
Motorcycles 6d
Vehicles under 1ton 1s 0d
Vehicles 1 to 5 ton 2s 6d
Vehicles over 5 ton 5s 0d

Fig.7 The Monument Hall prior to restoration work 2007 . Thanks to Jackie Maxted for this picture.

In 1998 RJB Mining, (UK COAL) was granted planning permission to extract coal from land close to the buildings. The planning permission was subject to a legally binding condition, known as a Section 106 Agreement, which required that once mining had ceased the company carry out repairs and long-term conservation of the castle, the stabilisation of the Jessop Monument and the restoration of the monument, hall and grounds.

Fig.8 Jessop's Monument during the restoration work in 2007.

Displayed with kind permission of Tamworth Scaffolding Company Limited

Fig.9 Monument Hall after completion of restoration work 2008

Information for this page was obtained from the following sources.

Through Five Generations: the History of the Butterley Company, by R.H. Mottram & Colin Coote 1950

Illustrated London News, 1861

codnor.info Home page