Monument and Main Entrance

1900's?

The monument was erected in 1785 by Sir H T Gott, and stands at the entrance to the Chalfont Epilepsy colony. Local tradition suggests that the monument either commemorates a hunt attended by George III, or an incident in which the king got lost in the forest surrounding the monument.
The monument was damaged by a lightning strike in 1879, and repaired by W Brown. After a second lightning strike in the 1960s the height of the obelisk was reduced from 60ft to about 20ft.
To the right of the picture is Eleanor House, opened in 1897, the first home for female residents on the site.  Central in the distance is the second Passmore Edwards House, a new administration building opened in 1904.

see also col-002 col-021 col-022