Russian Memorial, Lewes
| Russian Memorial | |
|---|---|
.jpg)
The Russian Memorial, showing the north-west, west, and south-west panels
|
|
| Location | St John sub Castro churchyard, Abinger Place, Lewes, East Sussex, England |
| Coordinates | 50°52′35″N 0°00′37″E / 50.8764°N 0.0102°ECoordinates: 50°52′35″N 0°00′37″E / 50.8764°N 0.0102°E |
| Built | 1877 |
| Built for | Alexander II of Russia |
| Architect | Philip Currey |
| Architectural style(s) | Neo-Gothic |
|
Listed Building – Grade II
|
|
| Official name: Russian Memorial in the Churchyard of St John sub Castro | |
| Designated | 29 October 1985 |
| Reference no. | 292975 |
 The memorial shown within East Sussex
|
|
The Russian Memorial is an obelisk in the churchyard of St John sub Castro in Lewes, the county town of East Sussex, England (grid reference TQ4152210471). It was erected in 1877 at the behest of Alexander II, Emperor of Russia, in memory of 28 Finnish soldiers of the Russian Army of the Crimean War who died while prisoners of war in Lewes between 1854 and 1856. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II listed building.
What became known as the Crimean War was declared in March 1854. In June, concerned at the possible threat posed to Britain by the Russian Baltic Fleet, the Royal Navy attacked the fortress of Bomarsund, in the Åland Islands off the coast of Finland. That attack was repulsed, but a further attack by British and French forces in August proved successful. The fortress was destroyed and prisoners taken to Britain and France. Some 340 members of the Fusilier Grenadiers were taken to Lewes, in Sussex. The officers were Russian, but the men were mostly Finns – Finland was part of the Russian Empire at the time and many of the defenders of Bomarsund had been Finnish conscripts.
The officers, having given their parole, were housed with local families and integrated themselves into local society. After "several of the leading gentlemen of the county [had] been introduced to the officers, and others left their cards", the officers went riding, appearing "delighted with the salubrity of the air", were invited to shoot on a local estate, succeeding in "bagging a large quantity of game", and attended a charity concert in Brighton. Such freedom of movement left them "frequently subjected to annoyance, insult, and even personal violence from the low characters who loiter in the streets", though the local magistrates dealt severely with such offences.
...
Wikipedia