Statue of The Maharajah Duleep Singh, Thetford, Norfolk
Dalip Singh bought (or the India Office purchased for him) a 17,000 acre (69 km²) country estate at Elveden on the border between Norfolk and Suffolk, close to Thetford, in 1863. He fell in love with Elveden and the surrounding area and restored the church, cottages, and school. He transformed the run-down estate into an efficient game preserve of approximately 17,000 acres (69 km2) and it was here that he gained his reputation as the fourth best shot in England . The house was re-modelled into a quasi-oriental palace where he lived the life of a British aristocrat. Dalip Singh was accused of running up large expenses and the estate was sold after his death to pay his debts. Today, Elveden is owned by descendants of the Guinness family of brewing fame; it remains an operating farm and private hunting estate. He also was the man who gave theKohinoor diamond to Queen Victoria. A life-size bronze statue of the Maharajah showing him on a horse was unveiled by HRH the Prince of Wales in 1999 at Butten Island in Thetford, a town which benefited from his and his sons' generosity
Size: 2431px × 3648px
Location: Butten Island, Thetford, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom
Photo credit: © Roy Mathers / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: anglia, diamond, east, england, kingdom, kohinoor, norfolk, united
