Nelson's Column?

What do you think of plans to remove the 'cannonball' monument and replace it with a statue of Nelson?

My feeling is that ADDING a new statue may enhance the attractively eccentric nature of Swanage. Perhaps make it small and pre-sling and patch, and give him a parrot. Not that Nelson has got much to do with Swanage.The Advertiser quotes the person proposing this as saying that "Swanage has such strong naval connections". Has it?

But let's not start on TAKING AWAY the odd anomalies that give Swanage its distinctively surreal character. The cannonball monument may be a strange way to commemorate the deaths of hundreds of Danish sailors in 877, but this it does. And why should they not be remembered? If this goes, what's next? The globe at Durslton? The iron bollards? The gothic columns? The rails on the quay ? (Oh, that's started already - looks like the process of tarmacing them over has begun).

And while we're on the subject of monuments, perhaps it's time to reinstate the Albert memorial, which was removed some years ago and now languishes in a Purbeck quarry?

Mike Hadley