The Wilberforce Monument was raised in 1834, the year after William Wilberforce's death and the passage of the Slavery Abolition Act. Funds were collected by public subscription, and the foundation stone was laid on the first anniversary of the Act. The column originally stood beside the dock that has since been filled in to make Queen's Gardens; it was moved to its present position in 1935 when the gardens were laid out.
The 31-metre Doric column is topped by a statue of Wilberforce in classical robes. You cannot climb it, but it provides a good orientation point for the eastern edge of the gardens and the start of the cultural quarter. The plaques at the base summarise his life and the campaign that finally ended slavery in the British Empire.