The Countess Pillar is a 17th-century monument near Brougham, Cumbria, England, between Penrith and Appleby. It is two miles east of Penrith on the A66. The square top of the pillar is brightly painted and carries sundials on its sides. It was erected by Lady Anne Clifford in 1656 to mark the place where she said goodbye for the last time to her mother, Margaret Clifford, Countess of Cumberland.
The inscription on the pillar describes Anne as "Sole Heire" of her father, George Earl of Cumberland. It also refers to a bequest in memory of Margaret which was made to the poor of the parish of Brougham. This is commemorated annually on 2 April.
In literature
Felicia Hemans's poem "The Memorial Pillar", on the circumstances surrounding the erection of this monument, forms a part of her Records of Woman.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Westmorland and Furness
- Listed buildings in Brougham, Cumbria
References
External links
- Information and history on the pillar at English Heritage