the abacus provides a viewing platform. At the base, the large pedestal is inscribed with the words: Inside the entrance passage leading up to the staircase, there is a brass plate which records the instruction of the 8th Earl to erect the monument with the inscription: Although the waterway most closely associated with the deceased was the Bridgewater Canal, it is thought that the monument was erected to celebrate the construction of the Grand Junction Canal, which passes around south-west of the site. The Bridgewater Monument stands on Moneybury Hill, a protruding part of the Ashridge plateau, and overlooks the village of Aldbury. Visitor attraction Today the Bridgewater Monument, like the Ashridge Estate, is in the care of the National Trust. At weekends, the monument is open to visitors, who can climb 172 steps inside the column to enjoy views of Ashridge and the Chiltern Hills. It is also possible to see as far as Canary Wharf in central London. Image gallery References External links Grade II* listed monuments and memorials Monuments and memorials in Hertfordshire Monumental columns in England Neoclassical architecture in Hertfordshire Ashridge National Trust properties in Buckinghamshire Tourist attractions in Hertfordshire Buildings and structures completed in 1832 1832 in England