Lander's Monument

The tall granite column in Lemon Street Gardens commemorates Richard Lander, a Truro-born explorer who solved the mystery of where the Niger River flows — something that had puzzled European geographers for centuries. He traced the river to its delta in 1830 and won the first ever Royal Geographical Society Gold Medal.

The monument is a quiet and slightly obscure corner of Truro, but the story behind it is remarkable. Lander grew up in the city, the son of a publican, and is one of Cornwall's more forgotten heroes. The column gives fine views over the gardens and toward the cathedral.

things to do sight
A story
Richard Lander was a Truro-born explorer who became the first European to trace the course of the River Niger from its upper reaches to the sea, solving one of the great geographical mysteries of the 19th century. He was awarded the inaugural Royal Geographical Society medal in 1832 — the Gold Medal that is now the highest honour in geography. He died in 1834 from wounds sustained in a skirmish on the Niger. He was 29 years old.