Hampden Monument

Hampden Monument was built in the 19th century by Lord Chief Justice Sir William Erle, to commemorate John Hampden’s refusal to pay Ship Tax. Hampden (1653-1696) was an English Civil War hero who opposed King Charles’s imposition of ship money. 

The inscription on the Monument reads, “For these lands in Stoke Mandeville, John Hampden was assessed in twenty shillings Ship Money levied by command of the King without authority of law”. An important political and military leader, the monument is just one of the many legacies left by John Hampden in the Chilterns.

The Society is proud to maintain the Hamden Monument, from which you can enjoy wonderful views across the valley and reflect on the historical Chilterns.