The Obelisk at Mount Edgcumbe

There is a story that the Obelisk was erected to celebrate the life of the Countess of Mount Edgcumbe's pet pig, Cupid. However, other sources say that the Obelisk was erected, in its current position, by Timothy Brett in 1770 in honour of his friend, George, the 3rd Baron of Edgcumbe. Brett was a former Commissioner of the Navy. The Obelisk was originally sited where the Folly now stands. The 50 ft monument has been used as a navigational point by various shipping in the Sound over the years. Cupid the pig was said to have been buried in a gold casket beneath the obelisk when he died in 1768. In the book, 'Animals Graves and Memorials' by Jan Toms (Shire Publications 2006), it says that when the obelisk was moved to its present position, in 1770, nothing was found. However, the date of 1770 may be misleading as the obelisk appears in its present position on shipping maps as early as 1768. As this was the year that Cupid died, it might be reasonable to assume that he is buried beneath the obelisk in its present position. It is known that Fern Dell once contained an urn that commemorated Cupid but this has since disappeared. However, it is also recorded that Cupid was buried at Fern Dell and this was noted by George III and Queen Charlotte. The dates prove confusing. For instance, the Folly was said to be erected on the spot where the Obelisk originally stood. However, the folly was erected in 1747 so how could Cupid have died and been buried beneath the obelisk, in its original position, in 1768? Research shows that the obelisk in its original position had already collapsed when the work to build the folly got underway. Cupid led a charmed life eating at the dinner table of the Edgcumbes and even accompanying the Countess, Emma Gilbert, on trips to London. The Edgcumbes love of their pets can be seen at Fern Dell where many of them are buried. When a later Countess of Mount Edgcumbe, Caroline Georgia, died in 1909, she requested that a fountain be erected near the shore at Cremyll which bore the inscription, 'For the Doggies'. In ' A Complete Parochial History of the County', published in 1870, it states, 'In the Cypress Grove is a monument to the memory of Timothy Brett Esq, one of the commissioners of the Navy, who, about the year 1770 erected the obelisk on the knoll near Cremyll as a memorial for his regard of his friend, George, the 3rd Baron of Edgcumbe.' At the time, George was still alive and serving in the Royal Navy. During 1770, he was promoted to Vice Admiral and was appointed Vice Treasurer of Ireland. Today, the obelisk is almost hidden away on a hill behind the Mount Edgcumbe Arms. There is no plaque on the monument to say who it is dedicated to and it's probably seen better days. It's hard to imagine now that it once stood where the folly stands. To add to the confusion, the date, '1st July,1867', has been carved into the base of the obelisk. Beside the date is the name, 'R F Crowther'. This mystery has, however, since been solved. Richard Crowther was in training during the 1860s on the boy's training ship, 'HMS Impregnable' which was moored off Cremyll. One day, Richard wandered towards the obelisk from the training ship armed with a hammer and chisel and left the inscription and date. He was born in 1853 so would have been 14 years old in 1867 when he left his mark. Cupid's remains may or may not be buried beneath the Obelisk but please don't go looking for them!

There is more information about the history of the Mount Edgcumbe estate in my book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mount-Edgcumbe-Derek-Tait/dp/0956078117/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=derek+tait&qid=1691880496&sr=8-3