Ipswich High School – The Woolverstone Obelisk

In 1793 a rather remarkable addition was made to the Woolverstoneestate. Standing an impressive 96 feet high was an obelisk commissioned by Charles Berners, then proprietor of Woolverstone Hall.

Built in dedication to his father, William Berners (the original owner of the estate who had died ten years previously), the obelisk stood on the banks of the River Orwell between the Hall and Pin Mill, serving as a permanent reminder of the Berners’ impact on the peninsula. It was one of the most striking sights for sailors along the river and served as a triangulation point alongside Rushmere and Dovercourt church steeples.

Built by an Ipswich stonemason, Edward Tovell, the square- based exterior was constructed of stone and decorated with Coade ornamentations. A timber-framed interior and staircase led to a viewing platform with windows at the top. At the pinnacle was a golden orb of sun’s rays, similar to that of the obelisk in Windsor Great Park.

Inscribed on one side in Latin was:

In Memoriam Gulielmi Berners, Armig: Patris optimi

Et Bene merentis Hune obeliscum extruxit

Filius Carolus Berners 1793

On the opposite side was:

Gulielmus Berners Natus Jul 10 A.D. 1709

Denatus Septeb. 18. 1783

Unfortunately, the obelisk was partially destroyed by fire in July1943, believed to have been caused accidentally by some of the troops billeted at the Hall returning from Pin Mill one night. Such was the extent of damage, the decision was made to demolish it fully with explosives days later.

Those of you who have seen our Wellbeing Garden outside the Hayworth Theatre will know that we have a new, much smaller, obelisk as the central focal point. More sleek and modern in its design, it is both a nod to our past and the future of the estate.