Oxford Inscriptions: the Duke of Wellington
This road sign (right) acts as a description of this portrait of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, which is high up on the wall of 3 Wellington Square. It was sculpted by Samuel Grafton, who lived at 141/145 Cowley Road.
Wellington Square in Oxford was named after the the 1st Duke of Wellington more than a decade after he had served as Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1834 to 1852. The first few houses of Wellington Square are at the end of St John Street, and you can see the above cartouche with his portrait head just before you enter the square proper, high up on No. 3 Wellington Square on the right.
The first mention of Wellington Square in Jackson's Oxford Journal was on 24 April 1869, when it advertised a forthcoming auction of the “first portion of the Building Land in forming the proposed New Square” (namely three building lots with a frontage of 18 feet each at the north end of St John Street, “forming entrance to Wellington-Square”).
On 16 October 1875 Jackson's Oxford Journal reported:
On the east side of St. John's-street, facing Mr. Jones's houses, Mr Joseph C. Curtis, of St. John's-street, is building a large semi-detached residence, together with three others having frontages to the north, and adjoining. Considerable taste has been exercised by the architect (Mr. Curtis) in the construction of the houses, and some fine carving is being executed by Mr. Samuel Grafton, consisting of a medallion of “Wellington.” in accordance with the nomenclature of the Square, and other subjects.
The photograph below shows the cartouche in context:
The First Duke of Wellington
The First Duke of Wellington was famous for his military career, culminating in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. He entered politics in 1818, and served as Prime Minister from 1828 to 1830.
On 29 January 1834 the Duke of Wellington was unanimously appointed Chancellor of the University of Oxford in an uncontested election in Convocation House, despite not having studied at university himself. Jackson's Oxford Journal on 1 February 1834 reported that “not a few, moreover, who had indicated a preference for a candidate educated within our walls lent their presence to this election, which, though as Oxonians, they might have wished otherwise — as Englishmen, they felt proud to sanction.” It went on to say that the Duke's lack of literary eminence was compensated by the avocation of his life: “If it be asked, then, what course the Duke of Wellington was pursuing while his contemporaries were amassing literary fame, the answer is simple, yet undeniable — his task was, THE SALVATION OF EUROPE; and on the magnitude of his success we would rest his eligibility to the station.” It then cited King Alfred, whom it described as the founder of the University and the hero of 56 battles, and stated: “it has now, in its ample development [sic], and meridian glory, found a second Patron adapted to its wide renown in the Defender of PORTUGAL — the Liberator of SPAIN — the Hero of WATERLOO — the Captor of PARIS — the CONQUEROR OF NAPOLEON BUONAPARTE!!”.
On14 June 1834 when reporting on the installation of the Duke as Chancellor, the newspaper continued in a similar vein. A silver medal was struck to mark the event (see British Museum M.6221). Then in Michaelmas Term 1834 the new Chancellor concurrently served as Prime Minister again for just 23 days (17 November to 9 December).
Wellington thereafter remained a leading figure in the House of Lords and continued both as Chancellor of the University and as Commander-in-Chief of the Forces until his death at Walmer Castle in Kent on 14 September 1852. His funeral took place two months later on Thursday 18 November 1852 at St Paul's Cathedral in London. All the shops in the city of Oxford were closed that day, and the bells of the city church at Carfax as well as most other Oxford churches tolled from 2 to 4pm, while in the evening the bells of several churches and colleges rang muffled peals.
Wikipedia: List of Chancellors of the University of Oxford
Chancellors of the University with outdoor statues in Oxford:
At the entrance to the Old Bodleian Library:
William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke (Chancellor 1617–1630)
On the side of the Clarendon Building:
Edward Hyde, first Earl of Clarendon (Chancellor 1660–1667