Figurehead representing Fame from Nelson's funeral carriage, 1806 Nelson's body was brought back to England. As he had requested, it was placed in a coffin made from the mast of the French ship, L'Orient, destroyed during his famous victory at the Nile. Arriving at Greenwich on 23 December 1805, he lay in state in the Painted Hall from 5–7 January 1806.

More than 15,000 people came to pay their respects and many more were turned away.

Nelson's body was taken from Greenwich up the Thames to Whitehall on 8 January, spending the night before the funeral at the Admiralty. The next day it was placed in a funeral car modelled on the Victory and taken through the streets to St Paul's Cathedral.

The mourners were led by Sir Peter Parker, Admiral of the Fleet, and members of the Victory’s crew were in the procession. Thousands watched as Nelson's coffin was lowered down and finally laid to rest in the crypt of St Paul's.

Remembering Nelson >>