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The gravestone of Thomas Sutton

This picture I took of Thomas Sutton in St Nicholas Minster in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Thomas Sutton was the Chief Surveyor of the town. The foundations of Nelsons Column was places in 1817 and took about 2 years to complete. This was built in tribute to Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson who died at the Battle of Trafalgar. On the completion of the monument, Thomas had walked up the 277 steps to the top of the monument to inspect it.  But when he got to the top he had a heart attack and died at the scene. Some stories say that he jumped from the monument because he thought the monument was facing the wrong way. But this is untrue. Thomas Sutton died on 1 June 1819 and the inscription on the grave tells you that he died at the monument.

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