The Obelisk, Colchester, Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

The Obelisk is a memorial in Castle Park, Colchester, on Mayor's Walk, marking the spot where the Royalist commanders Sir George Lisle and Sir Charles Lucas were shot by firing squad on 28 August 1648. It is a quiet stone reminder of the Siege of Colchester and of how bitterly the English Civil War was fought.

The story behind it

In the summer of 1648 Colchester was held by Royalist forces and besieged by Parliament's army. When the town fell, the two senior officers, Sir Charles Lucas and Sir George Lisle, were taken out and shot on this spot. Some accounts say they told the firing squad to do their worst.

The sentence shocked many people, because both men were gentlemen and an execution like this was seen by some as extreme and dishonourable. It is often blamed on Henry Ireton, Oliver Cromwell's son-in-law. The two men quickly came to be seen as Royalist martyrs. Twelve years later the monarchy was restored, and the place became a shrine for Royalists and a curiosity for visitors. A local legend says that for a long time no grass would grow here.

What to look for

• The obelisk itself, a plain stone shaft that stands apart from the paths and lawns of the park around it.
• The inscription on the monument, which names the two men and records that they died here in August 1648.
• The setting on Mayor's Walk, where an ordinary park path passes a spot that once saw a military execution.
• The nearby slopes and trees of Castle Park, which help you picture the ground the siege was fought over.

Tips for your visit

• Allow about ten minutes at the monument itself, or longer if you combine it with a walk through Castle Park.
• It stands in the open, so you can see it at any time of day, and morning or late afternoon light is gentler for photographs.
• Colchester Castle is close by, so you can pair the two. Check current opening hours if you want to go inside the castle museum.
• The paths are easy underfoot, but the park is on a slope in places, so wear comfortable shoes.

See it on a quest

The Obelisk is one of the stops on A Siege in Colchester, a self-guided walk themed around the events of 1648. You reach it on foot as part of a longer route through the area, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle based on what is in front of you. It suits this monument well, because you hear the story while standing where it happened. The quest is paid, and one ticket covers the whole group. You can start whenever you like, with no guide and no group to join.