The story behind Glasgow's iconic Duke of Wellington statue and its well-known traffic cone hat
The sight of a stately statue of the Duke of Wellington and his horse, poised atop a plinth in the center of Glasgow, is among the most iconic images of the city. Its most notable feature is the modest orange traffic cone perched firmly atop Wellington’s head. As a brilliant example of the city’s ability (and pride) at not taking itself too seriously, it has now been used on everything from artwork and posters to tea towels and gin bottles.
Glaswegians particularly take pride in seeing the cone on Sir Arthur Wellesley’s bronze head, and it is practically frowned upon to view the statue without one. It is a beloved component of the city’s cultural identity.
The pride in this harmless act of irreverence, however, can often seem perplexing to outsiders, but it actually provides important context for understanding both the city and its inhabitants.
The Duke of Wellington Statue’s History
The bronze statue of the renowned military strategist and former prime minister, who assisted in defeating Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo, was erected in 1844 in the middle of Royal Exchange Square. Carlo Marochetti, an Italian sculptor, created the structure in which Sir Arthur sits proudly atop his horse Copenhagen.
It was established to commemorate the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars in what was then regarded as the second-biggest city in the British Empire.
The well-known cone
It is generally accepted that inebriated partygoers or prankish students started scaling the 21-foot-tall monument in the 1980s in an attempt to place a bright orange cone atop the Duke’s head.
Cones inexplicably reappeared after being removed during the day by city council employees, turning the practice into a ritual.
Cones would occasionally be placed on Copenhagen’s head or ears as well; on other occasions, Sir Arthur would have several cones placed on his head (some images on the internet show this number rising to ten or more).
Thereafter, there was conflict between the local government and the populace, who interpreted the cone as a representation of the city’s lightheartedness and refusal to take itself or well-known historical figures too seriously.
Referred to as “a minor act of vandalism” by some provosts and senior council members of the city, the cone is a source of pride for others who claim it is Glasgow’s “greatest selling point” and a symbol of its humor.
The removal of the cone by council employees has frequently been justified as a safety measure for both individuals attempting to climb the statue and anyone passing by below in case the cone falls from the statue’s head and causes serious harm. Additionally, they claim that it is for the statue’s protection, since over time, individuals have attempted to scale the building outside the Gallery of Modern Art, causing it to lose half of its sword and its spurs.
Even plans to raise the plinth of the statue in order to stop the “cone-ing” were considered by Glasgow City Council in 2013, but they were eventually withdrawn due to strong public opposition.
These days, it’s so uncommon to see the statue without its iconic cone that people are actually taken aback when they do.
Its fun, countercultural appeal is further enhanced by the fact that Lonely Planet once included it in their list of the “Top 10 Most Bizarre Monuments On Earth” due to its iconic status.
The people who manage the Keep the Cone Facebook page continue to post content on it in case there is another “act of madness.” Glasgow City Council’s public relations officer, Paul Kane, stated to Mental Floss in 2017 that there wasn’t much more to say about the topic because so many people had strong opinions that conflicted with one another.
The statue, along with the Rocky Balboa statue in Serbia and the Washington National Cathedral, was listed in the top 10 most bizarre monuments on Earth by the Lonely Planet guide in 2011.
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Subsequently, the traffic cone has undergone alterations to symbolize Glasgow Pride, was featured in the opening of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and most recently, has taken on a blue and yellow appearance to demonstrate support for Ukraine.
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